Wholly Trinity: Abortion, Art and Activism in Ireland
Wholly Trinity: Abortion, Art and Activism in Ireland
"…art can assist people to learn not only about the objective forces at work in the society in which they live, but also about the intensely social character of their interior lives. Ultimately, it can propel people toward social emancipation." (Angela Davis). This short film, produced collaboratively by The Open University, Alliance for Choice and The Array Collective explores the role that artists and creatives played in campaigning for abortion rights in Ireland.
About the project
Art has always been a powerful vehicle for social justice, and the struggle for abortion rights throughout the island of Ireland was no exception. This beautiful short film depicts the commitment, creativity, colour and emotion that artists brought to the Irish abortion campaigns. Through interviews with the artists themselves, it describes how artists used creativity and performance to inspire people to action, ignite powerful conversations and build communities of solidarity. It explores how art can change opinions, transcend barriers, shape narratives and make history, her story and their story.
“I would never have been considered an activist, you know, until 2015, when the Artists campaign to Repeal the Eighth Amendment was set up. But I think that in my practice, ever since the beginning, I have sought to kind of make images of femaleness that are alternative, that seek to use different material, you know, to find different processes. You know, this reflects alternately indifference and struggle in a way.
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