WHAT is home, and the concept of home, to the Irish Traveller woman? Attend to the Hunt Museum from this Thursday 7 – launch party at 11am – until January 28 to observe and conclude from a new exhibition of glass works made by Traveller women in Limerick.
That glass is the medium used is remarkable for several reasons. Limerick has a strong history of stained glass, co-incidentally the subject of a Limerick Historical Society talk on Monday 11 next in Mary Immaculate (8pm, free).
Then consider the fragility and translucency specific to glass, its potential for hurt and severity on breaking. Its malleable beauty in moulding, adornment, rainbow refraction. The usefulness of glass: from Venetian lustre vases to Waterford chandeliers to bulletproof windows. Glass it is.
According to Fiona Byrne, acting curator of Outreach at the Hunt, “Thirteen Traveller women from Limerick city participated in a project based at the Hunt Museum with support from the Limerick city Traveller Health Advocacy Programme.
“Using museum artefacts as a source for ideas the women worked with artist RóisÃn de Buitléar through the medium of glass to produce pieces worthy of their own exhibition. The exhibition reflects themes such as faith, community, housing and family. It also reflects some the challenges that living on a halting site in Limerick city can bring”.
Dr Hugh McGuire, who is head of the museum, will open the show formally; their thanks to Limerick Council, to Cube Printing and to Jerry O’Dea’s Bar for various streams of help in producing this unique platform for cultural expression.
‘HOME’ is open to all until January 28.