Thought-provoking exhibition opens at MacDonagh Junction in Kilkenny

A powerful and thought-provoking exhibition opened at MacDonagh Junction on Culture Night and runs until the end of November.

Resilience is the final exhibition in the Emerging Curator Programme and is curated by Sinéad Keogh.

Resilience is a statement. A statement of supporting women, supporting artists and supporting the community. Resilience examines the complexity and strength of the human condition in the face of adversity – and how it prevails. Experiencing the multifarious layers of stamina and understanding, each work and engagement examines the different ways in which women have overcome obstacles and societal oppression.

The artists in this exhibition are Kilkenny artist Breda Lynch, feminist artist Sarah Browne and a special artistic collaboration with Amber Women’s Refuge.

The exhibition was launched by Mayor of Kilkenny David Fitzgerald and runs at Unit 28 at MacDonagh Junction until October 10 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 5pm.

Additional strands to the Resilience educational programme include; an additional exhibition display with Amber Women’s Refuge at The Window Gallery on John’s Green Lane (September 23 to October 22) and an online audio tour.

There will also be a panel discussion on October 1 from 12 to 1pm at the Butler Gallery with Mary Butler – Kilkenny Arts Officer; Joanna Cunningham – Director of The Watergate Theatre; Siobhan McQuillan of Amber Women’s Refuge; Mary O’ Hallrahan of The Kilkenny Women’s Group and artist Breda Lynch.

A talk by Survivors of Symphysiotomy at The Watergate Theatre will take place on October 16 from 12 – 1pm. SOS, or Survivors of Symphysiotomy, is an Irish membership group consisting of survivors of the symphysiotomy surgery and families of those who have undergone the procedure. The unfunded organisation campaigns for justice to those who have suffered from the surgical procedure which they needlessly endured. A talk on the groups work will be delivered by Chair Marie O’Connor.

Artists featuring in the exhibition include Sarah Browne who work is concerned with spoken and unspoken, bodily experiences of knowledge, labour and justice. Her practice involves sculpture, film, performance and public projects, often in collaboration with others.

Work by Kilkenny native Breda Lynch also features in the exhibition. Breda also works as a full-time lecturer in Fine Art at Limerick School of Art and Design he holds a BA Degree in Fine Art Print at Crawford College of Art, an MA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design, London and an MPhil in Fine Art Print and Digital Media from the University of Wolverhampton.

Breda is a visual artist working in a variety of media, including drawing, photography, print and digital media, video and installation. She engages with dialogues and discourses on – queer feminisms, the western mystery tradition and occulture, appropriation and the economy of the image.

Lynch has exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions in Ireland and abroad. A recipient of several awards and residencies, Lynch’ work was recently purchased by the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Arts Council of Ireland. for their permanent
collections.