This exhibition transforms the gallery into an immersive environment of paintings and embroidered texts which narrate the horrific story of Bridget Cleary, a young woman from rural Ireland who was brutally murdered in 1895 after being accused of witchcraft. The work is presented in a mapping fashion, connected by a trail of red ribbon that weaves though the space, with dates and locations inviting us to trace the events that led to Bridget’s death. The work attempts to reclaim Bridget’s silenced voice, turning domestic craft into acts of storytelling and resistance. The installation operates as a visual protest, insisting on respectful remembrance and restoring Bridget to history, with HER NAME reclaimed.
Cleary graduated with a First-Class Honours MA in 2016 and received a First-Class Honours BA in 2014 and has received several awards from the Arts Council Ireland. Previous solo exhibitions include “Estranged” at An Culturlann in Belfast, “Vessels of Strength” at the Excel Gallery, Tipperary, “Rural Shame” at Customs House, Westport and” Conversation with [my] Mother at Tyrone’s Alley Arts Centre. Notable group shows include “Simulacrum” at Platform Arts Belfast, “BURN THE WITCH STILL I RISE” at GOMA, Waterford, and “Feminine Space” at Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery.
- Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, 216 Falls Road Belfast, BT12 6AH Northern Ireland
- 18/06/26 – 30/07/26
- Time: 7-9pm (Launch)
More information: https://linktr.ee/culturlann
