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| 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!”
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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.”
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Anna Moore, Ann O'Grady and Karen
after finishing setting up the exhibition
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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 1st
December.
Corina Duyn website
See HERE for video of Grace O'Sullivan's Talk and some images of the puppets
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Group paper art
(which is available for corporate buyer, contact Caroline if interested)
and two of Corina Duyn’s sculptures |
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| Puppet books and notebooks |
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| paper art by John McGrath, Corina Duyn and Ann O’Grady and sculpture by Corina Duy |
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| Pat Coffey paintings |
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| Pat Coffey and friends at the opening |
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| view of Exhibition |
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| John McGrath and family |
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Some of the comments
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