Photo series explores domestic violence

DIFFERENT forms of gender-based violence are explored in a series of evocative tableaux photographic images by a multi-media artist in the Courthouse Gallery, Ennistymon.
Martina Cleary has explored complex issues such as domestic violence and women’s perception of safety and risk of both public and private spaces in Clare.
Working in collaboration with the Clare Women’s Network in Ennis, her latest work evolved out of a series of posters released daily during the 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence in November 2009.
Having conducted over 60 individual interviews, the head of photography at the Burren College of Art depicted different forms of gender-based violence.
Ms Cleary explained she had to strike a difficult balance between trying to convey messages on behalf of the Clare Women’s Network metaphorically through photographic imagery, while not offending people who are victims of abuse. Because of the importance of protecting women’s identity, all faces are covered. All of the individuals who posed were volunteers, some of whom brought their own personal experience to the re-enactments.
Stating that people can become desensitised concerning violence against women because of the graphic media coverage about issues such as rape and sexual violence, Ms Cleary believes her collaborative work contains very powerful messages and imagery.
There are some images Ms Cleary is unable to show because it was felt by all parties that they relate to real-life cases in the Mid-West, which have been reported by the media.
“It is important in a collaborative project that images are compiled and communicated in a different way to ensure I provided the appropriate message, which didn’t offend.
“I photographed places and spaces in Clare where women felt threatened and have displayed these in the exhibition. I also took an average of 16 days of media coverage about murder, rape and violence against women and switched the gender to show what it would be like if it was a male. This shows that in many respects, the world has gone crazy in terms of the use of violence.
“The project was also about the media and how it covers issues surrounding violence against women, which understandably is a very sensitive issue for women,” she says.