Brian McAvera examines a provocative new series from Colin Davidson, which brings us face to face with those who have been overlooked in Northern Ireland’s hard-won peace
In the wake of the Ulster Museum’s ‘Troubles’ exhibition (which purported to tell the history of the Troubles but instead sidelined those artists who constantly bore witness and whom the museum itself had refused to collect) the institution has now opted for more honest territory with an exhibition by Colin Davidson, entitled ‘Silent Testimony’ opening this summer. The solo show will contain eighteen large-scale portraits. These are of ‘victims’ or ‘survivors’, people who have lost a loved one, or who have been maimed through Republican, Loyalist or State violence. As Davidson himself frames it, ‘society is being told to move on, but these are people who cannot’. To ensure balance, fairness, and credibility of motive, the artist worked with the charity WAVE, and it was the charity who selected the sitters, not the artist. By its very nature this is not a Troubles’ show.
Overcoming the slow down at home, Irish architects Heneghan Peng, Grafton Architects, O’Donnell+Tuomey amongst others have looked to international competitions, but overseas projects are not without risk, writes John McLaughlin
In addition to creating a likeness of her daughter, Geraldine O’Neill has in mind the age-old interrogation of representation, writes Robert Ballagh of this year’s recipient of the Ireland-U.S. Council/Irish Arts Review Portraiture Award
James Watson could trace his family’s artistic lineage to York Minster and following his move to Cork he launched a new tradition to last a hundred years, writes Vera Ryan.