THE Ulster Museum and the Belfast Photo Festival have launched a new exhibition celebrating the women who were instrumental to the peace-building which facilitated the Good Friday Agreement.
Principled and Revolutionary: Northern Ireland’s Peace Women is a new series of works from Belfast-born photographer Hannah Starkey, who has dedicated her career to depicting the lives of women, including recent works on female activists across the globe.
Principled and Revolutionary: Northern Ireland’s Peace Women features portraits of 21 key figures, including peace activist and former politician Monica McWilliams, who co-founded the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and was a delegate to the Multi-Party Peace Negotiations, and activists and peace campaigners such as Bronagh Hinds and Sandra Peake.
“Meeting the women and listening to their stories has been an amazing education," comments Starkey.
"The exhibition is a monolithic monument to these women and to all the women from the north. I hope these portraits cause pause with visitors and provide an opportunity to not only look back on progress but towards a shared future.”
Clare Gormley, director of programmes at the Belfast Photo Festival said: "Hannah Starkey has produced an artwork of national significance. 'Principled & Revolutionary' not only marks 25 years since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the significant contribution women have made to peace and progress in this place, but it implores us to imagine a future where women have more voice, more power and greater representation within key decision-making roles.
"As commissioner of the project, we are delighted to partner with Ulster Museum to showcase this ambitious photographic project by one of Northern Ireland's leading artists.
"Artistically, it pushes the bounds of photography and will defy people's expectations of what a 'portraiture' exhibition might look like."
The exhibition will be on display at the Ulster Museum until September 10 and will include two events, the Women, Art and Activism Symposium on June 3, and an artist talk by Hannah Starkey on June 4, as part of the Belfast Photo Festival programme.
Entry is free as part of general admission to the Ulster Museum, visit ulstermuseum.org to plan your visit.
