A poignant exhibition by women impacted by mother and baby homes in Northern Ireland is to open in Belfast.
The Sunflower Project Exhibition brings together the writings, paintings and personal items of a group of women whose lives were deeply impacted by their experiences of these notorious institutions.
Christening robes, baby outfits knitted at the homes and ornate tiles from the Marianvale mother and baby home in Newry will be among the items featured in the display at Linen Hall Library.
A short film of monologues written and performed by the group will be part of the exhibition.
It is the result of more than two years of workshops aimed at supporting the women to express themselves through drama and art and provides a deep insight into the impact of the homes on the lives of the women and their babies.
The project was managed by Patricia Byrne, artistic director of Sole Purpose Productions who brought together experienced theatre practitioner Shauna Kelpie, mental health and trauma researcher Dr Colette Ramsey and artist Brónagh Corr to work with the group to find their creative voices.
Ms Byrne said the project had been deeply moving and profound for all those involved.
“It was incredible and really heartening to see how the women developed during the process, how they were able to find their voices and end the years of silence and shame,” she said.
One of the participants, Caitriona Cunningham, who has also written a play based on her experiences, said the past two years have had a “life-changing effect on her and her fellow participants”.
“It was so cathartic,” she said.
“It started conversations and got a lot of feelings out about those places that had haunted us, memories that had been buried.
“The workshops were very safe, everything was handled so sensitively.
“We had support all the way through.”
Julie Andrews, director of The Linen Hall Library, said it is an “important and profoundly moving exhibition that draws attention to the legacy of mother and baby homes in Northern Ireland and to the lasting impact those institutions had on people’s lives”.
“The Linen Hall has a long history as a space for the discussion and exploration of difficult subjects and we hope that this exhibition will help to give people a deeper understanding and appreciation of the experiences of victims and survivors of mother and baby homes.”
The group also made a one hour film which follows their journey over the two years of the project, ‘In Each Other’s Shelter We Survive’, which will be screened at the library.
Some of the women and facilitators involved in the project will also discuss the issues raised in the exhibition.
The Sunflower Project Exhibition is in The Linen Hall Library from November 4-29.
