Belfast artist highlights scale of loss to suicide since the end of Northern Ireland Troubles
Between 14th January and 28th February 2019, Belfast based artist Ro Owens worked with members of the local community in Belfast on a 45 day durational installation and performance piece called Building The Grief Process. Work on the piece involved members of the community, including volunteers from Belfast Samaritans, and took place at the Framewerk gallery on Upper Newtownards Road in Belfast.
BUILDING THE GRIEF PROCESS examines the climbing rate of mental health sufferers and urges much greater governmental response to such a drastic problem.
At the centre of the work is a continuous piece of fabric which by the end of the building period contained 4500 fabric tallies. Each tally represents a life lost to suicide in Northern Ireland since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, each representing the connections to a family impacted, a group of friends, a club, a school, a community group or workplace where grief extends to encompass the entire community. At the close of the project the piece was placed on show at the front of Belfast City Hall in the city centre on 2nd March, 2019.
Ro Owens addresses the people of Belfast gathered to view her piece Building The Grief Process
A Moment of reflection at Building The Grief process event
Over the 6 week period, members of the community were invited to pop in to watch, chat or join in. Contributors had the opportunity to share their voice by personalising a small patch of fabric in memory, in solidarity or in inspiration that could then be added to the fabric. BUILDING THE GRIEF PROCESS began on January 14th and finished on February 28th in Framewerk Gallery, 10 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast.
Building The Grief Process on display at Belfast City Hall
Over the 6 week period, members of the community were invited to pop in to watch, chat or join in. Contributors had the opportunity to share their voice by personalising a small patch of fabric in memory, in solidarity or in inspiration that could then be added to the fabric. BUILDING THE GRIEF PROCESS began on January 14th and finished on February 28th in Framewerk Gallery, 10 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast.
On Saturday 2nd March between Noon and 2pm, the piece will be on public display in Donegall Square West in the heart of Belfast
For more details see the project's Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/398659644033195/
This project is funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Close up of fabric tallies