PHOTOS Anne Stewart “Limerick from a Different Perspective” exhibition at No 2 Pery Square opens Thurs, April 20

Anne Stewart “Limerick from a Different Perspective” exhibition was launched at No 2 Pery Square on Thursday 20th April, 2023. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick

Anne Stewart “Limerick from a Different Perspective” exhibition opening by Dr Dara Waldron, Co-Curated by Moya Ni Cheallaigh and William O’Neill

Anne Stewart was born in a predominantly Protestant little estate just outside Belfast, where the children would all play together on the street. However, early on in the “Troubles” the estate was influenced by Loyalists who dictated how the majority should behave and eventually Anne’s family had to move.

Rehoused in yet another “mixed estate” the same story happened again to the minority Catholic families. Finally, under the threat of being shot or burnt out by the Loyalist UDA, Anne’s father decided to move his young family to the newly created town of Shannon, where nobody and therefore everybody, belonged.

Although she had spent 14 years of her life in Northern Ireland where her family were from, Anne never felt like she truly belonged there.  Since moving to Shannon and finally in her twenties moving to Kilkishen where she still lives, Anne is very rooted in her community. After bringing up her children, she decided to go to Art College in Limerick as a mature student and found that this early displacement has been a huge influence in her work. While her MA thesis reflected on memories of displacement in a divided community, her paintings explore place and, a sense of belonging.

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The title of Anne’s latest exhibition “Limerick from a Different Perspective” would seem to suggest that Anne is an outsider looking in, however she assures us that nothing could be further from the truth. As a 14 year old, Anne loved coming to Limerick, because it reminded her of a more inclusive friendlier version of Belfast. Like all cities it had its darker side but she found it to be strangely comforting; something which she explores in some of her more familiar street scenes.

“Limerick from a Different Perspective” reflects not only the views of the city from the river as she recently travelled down the Shannon with Pat Lysaght, but maybe also some of how that 14 year old girl felt, fleeing with her family and their dog, from persecution. Working with charcoal on found board as well as oil on canvas, these paintings show sights familiar and meaningful to all of us, though you might wonder why you never quite saw some of them like this before! Maybe it’s time for us all to get down on the river and see our city and its environs through a different lens.

The exhibition will be co-curated by Moya Ni Cheallaigh, also an artist and former graduate of Limerick school of Art and Design, in conjunction with People’s Museum of Limerick curator, William O’Neill. In the past year Moya conceived and curated the Limerick Artists of Ukraine exhibition in which over 100 artists, raised €51,500 for displaced people in Ireland. Moya also curated the very successful Pride Exhibition at The Hunt Museum in July.

“Limerick from a Different Perspective” will be officially launched by Dr Dara Waldron of Limerick school of Art & Design, at the People’s Museum of Limerick, No 2 Pery Square on Thursday, April 20^th at 7pm and will run for the following two weeks. All are welcome!

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Pictures: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick