Millennium Court Presents: Belonging and Finding Home – An Exhibition of Identity, Culture, and the Search for Belonging – opening 15 Nov

  • Location: Millennium Court, 5-7 William Street, Portadown, BT62 3NX
  • Date & Time: Friday 15th November at 7pm

Millennium Court is pleased to announce Belonging: Works from the 1980s and 1990s, Victor Sloan and Finding Home, a dual exhibition that features the profound artistry of acclaimed Irish photographer Victor Sloan alongside the deeply personal photographic journeys of Diana Oana Sava and Maria Vicente, women from Romania and East Timor now residing in Portadown. Together, these exhibitions explore themes of identity, conflict, culture, and the universal search for belonging, reflecting decades of artistic and cultural expression.

Belonging: Victor Sloan

Belonging showcases the influential work of Victor Sloan, one of Ireland’s most renowned visual artists, celebrated for his poignant explorations of identity and conflict during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The exhibition spans iconic series, including The Walk, The Platform and the Field, The Birches, Craigavon, Sham Fight, Explosion, Vietnamese Boat People, and Circus, Portadown, capturing the intensity of the 1980s and 1990s—a time marked by profound social and political upheaval.

Sloan’s innovative techniques, including his distinctive use of dyes, inks, and paint on negatives and prints, yield powerful images that blur documentary and conceptual boundaries. His work not only documents a landscape scarred by conflict but also interrogates deep-seated questions of identity and belonging. Exhibited worldwide and featured in prestigious collections, Sloan’s legacy has left an indelible mark on Irish visual art, establishing him as a pioneering voice in transforming photography into a medium for personal and political expression.

Finding Home: Diana and Maria

In Finding Home, Diana Oana Sava and Maria Vicente share their personal stories as newcomers to Portadown, presenting a photographic journey that explores the beauty of daily life and the comfort found in cultural tradition. Guided by Victor Sloan and mentored by Catriona Corrigan, Diana and Maria developed their photography skills, learning to approach their surroundings with mindfulness and care. This reflective practice has allowed them to capture the subtle beauty of daily life, celebrating how their traditions from Romania and East Timor help them create new roots in an unfamiliar landscape.

The exhibition includes images, personal mementos, and intimate storytelling that reveal the intersections of heritage and adaptation, tradition and discovery. Diana and Maria’s work encourages viewers to value close observation, find beauty in small details, and recognize the strength in honouring one’s roots while embracing a new environment. Finding Home celebrates resilience, connection, and the transformative power of cultural exchange.

Exhibition Dates and Venue

Belonging and Finding Home will be on display at Millennium Court, with an opening reception at 7 pm on Friday, 15th November 2024. Visitors will have the opportunity to reflect on the universal need for belonging and the diverse ways people create home and identity. This dual exhibition invites audiences to experience two distinct yet interwoven perspectives on life, culture, and the search for connection, underscoring art’s powerful role in celebrating and understanding our shared humanity.

For more information, please contact: Email: info@millenniumcourt.co.uk

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New Belfast Community Arts Initiative trading as Community Arts Partnership is a registered charity (XR 36570) and a company limited by guarantee (Northern Ireland NI 37645).Registered with The Charity Commission as New Belfast Community Arts Initiative - NIC105169.