NWCI LAUNCH TOUR & EXHIBITION 2015

‘STILL, WE WORK’ is an exhibition featuring work by artists Sarah Browne, Miriam O’Connor, Anne Tallentire and Vagabond Reviews exploring contemporary representations of women and work. The exhibition, commissioned by the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI), will be touring Ireland over the next few months. It will be a unique opportunity for artists and women to come together and examine issues surrounding women and work today.

Throughout the tour, five different exhibition curators will present the exhibition in three different contexts in Letterkenny, Kilkenny and Limerick through 2015.

The tour will be launched with the first exhibition, curated by Marie Barrett, at the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny on Friday, 8th May 2015 at 5 pm.

Marie Barrett said of her approach:

“I am delighted to have been invited to curate ‘STILL, WE WORK’, in Donegal with the support of the Regional Culture Centre. Working closely with the artists and the National Women’s Council of Ireland has allowed me to develop new cross-sectoral collaborations that will articulate and explore some of the key issues for women in the wider context of socio-political debate within a cross-border region”.

With family links to the garment industry in Donegal, Marie Barrett was a participant in Vagabond Reviews’ (In)visible Labour Factorium. The artist Sarah Browne has made an earlier project that represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale of Art with women laid off from Donegal Carpets.

The issues explored by the artists reflect on the reality of women’s work today, which is increasingly characterised by casualization, low pay and precariousness.

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said:

“The recent strike of the Dunnes Workers is just the latest manifestation of a dangerous erosion in the quality and security of jobs that women are experiencing.  As a unique collaboration of artists and NWCI, this exhibition recognizes the paid and unpaid, seen and unseen work that women do and highlights the intrinsic links between women’s work and the inequalities that women widely experience in society.”

She continued,

“STILL, WE WORK provides an exciting opportunity for artists and NWCI members to come together, share their experiences and build a discussion about women, work and equality today.”

NWCI acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council Visual Arts Touring Award and the support of the tour partners and supporters.

Launch Event

What: Launch of “Still, We Work” NWCI Legacy Project Tour and Exhibition - Representations of Women’s Work.  Eilís Ní Chaithnía, Membership Development Officer, NWCI, will open the exhibition.
Where: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
When:  Friday, 8 May, 5 pm

Speakers at the launch will include:

• Eilís Ní Chaithnía, Membership Development Officer, NWCI
• Marie Barrett, Exhibition Curator 
• Finola Brennan, Donegal Women’s Network 
•  Annette Patton, Donegal Community Development Alliance

Tour Dates and additional programme

12 – 23 May 2015, Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Curated by Marie Barrett. Open 11am to 5pm Tuesday to Friday and 1pm to 5pm Saturday. Admission is free. www.regionalculturalcentre.com

Talk by Anne Tallentire at 3pm Saturday 23 May at RCC, Free. Book at rcc@donegalcoco.ie

During the exhibition, Vagabond Reviews, Miriam O’Connor and Fiona McDonald (designer of the travelling crate) will be doing targeted workshops with Donegal Women's Network and Donegal Travellers Project.

26 June – 5 July 2015, Kilkenny, Abhainn Rí Festival
Curated by Hollie Kearns, Rosie Lynch and Monica Flynn, supported by the Kilkenny Arts Office.

October 2015, Limerick
Curated by Michele Horrigan, supported by Limerick City Gallery of Art and Dance Limerick.

Ends/

Media information:
Silke Paasche, NWCI Head of Communications, Tel. 085 858 9104 or 
Marie Barrett, Exhibition Curator, 086 354 6662.


Website: nwcilegacyproject.com
Facebook:  facebook.com/NWCILegacyProject  
Twitter: @StillWeWork