Grace O'Sullivan: "The work at the Dis-ability … This Ability exhibition is beyond Ability. The level of the work is Extraordinary."

Grace O’Sullivan and Corina Duyn

Senator Grace O’Sullivan launched the Dis-ability … This Ability exhibition at the Coastguard Cultural Centre in Tramore last Saturday.

Grace started off by saying how huge an honour it was for her to launch this wonderful exhibition… “The work of Corina Duyn and all her colleagues is beyond Ability. It is Super Ability. It is all about professionalism. The level of the work is extraordinary."

Among other works on show are the nine puppets created under the guidance of Artist and Writer Corina Duyn with her fellow members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) Dungarvan Resource Centre. While looking at these “Life Outside the Box” puppets, Grace talked about the detail in the faces, the characters, the boxes, and passports: “they are Irish Nationals…! All are telling a story. A story of Ability.”

Grace commented that Dutch born Corina Duyn, who was the brains behind this exhibition, doesn’t accept her dis-ability… “You are absolutely motivated and have a strength of character, and are on everyone’s case … you are setting the bar high. We as a nation in Ireland, are a bit of ‘cap-in-hand’. You won’t settle for that. Keep pushing the barrier!”

Grace O'Sullivan talking to Stephanie
from Waterford Healing Arts Trust

O’Sullivan raised an interesting point about the need to have people with disabilities visible in the community. “Everyone in our community is the richer for it if we can live in harmony with each other … as shown here, there is no such thing as dis-ability.”

See HERE  for video of Grace O'Sullivan's Talk and some images of the puppets. 

Corina and artist Tunde Toth who facilitated the paper making also on show, and for sale, at the exhibition, told in more detail about the experience of working with this diverse group of people and their abilities. New ways of working can always be explored. The outcomes were beyond all expectations.

Duyn told passionately about the personal empowerment of her first experience of teaching, with the help of the IWA staff, after a seventeen-year gap. How, although spending a lot of her time at home, her writing and art makes her part of society. Her creative work has become a communication tool. “All of these works here today are ways of communication too. When you purchase a piece of art or a book, it creates a ‘conversation’ with the artist, the buyer and the recipient of the gift, and that is hugely empowering for all involved.”

Anna Moore, Ann O'Grady and Karen 

after finishing setting up the exhibition 

Corina thanked Artist Anna Moore, Ann O’Grady and her sister Karen for assisting in setting up the exhibition, and IWA staff and Coastguard Cultural Centre for their practical support to make this exhibition happen; and Grace O’Sullivan for her compassionate talk to launch this event. Which might be the first of many...

Grace, Corina and Tunde all stated how immensely proud they are of all the work that has been created and asked the audience to do their best to encourage others to come and see the show.  There are many stocking fillers and other gifts for Christmas: books, prints, painting, postcards, paper art, poetry, and practical stuff like the fun puppet notebooks. The raised funds will bring financial recourses to do more creative work for the group and the individual artists.

The exhibition runs until 1^st December.
Corina Duyn website
See HERE  for video of Grace O'Sullivan's Talk and some images of the puppets 

Group paper art
(which is available for corporate buyer, contact Caroline if interested)
and two of Corina Duyn’s sculptures

Puppet books and notebooks

sample pages of Into the Light - book in a box by Corina Duyn

paper art by John McGrath, Corina Duyn and Ann O’Grady and sculpture by Corina Duy

Pat Coffey paintings

Pat  Coffey and friends at the opening

view of Exhibition

John McGrath and family

Some of the comments