Bonnie Hickey Commemorative Exhibition opens at the People’s Museum Friday, August 19

Bonnie Hickey Commemorative Exhibition – Bonnie in 2020 at her last exhibition at the People’s Museum.

All funds raised from the exhibition will be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust 

As part of Heritage Week, the People’s Museum is opening the Bonnie Hickey Commemorative Exhibition on Friday, August 19 at 6pm. Bonnie had previously exhibited her art in the People’s Museum in 2020, before tragically passing away in October 2021. All funds raised from the Bonnie Hickey Commemorative Exhibition will be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. 

Many visitors who have frequented the Museum may have seen Bonnie’s work on display in 2020. Unfortunately, Bonnie passed away in 2021 before she could present more beautiful and thought-provoking artwork again in the Museum. In honour of her memory and the legacy of work she left behind, the People’s Museum is displaying a number of her pieces from August 19 until August 27. There will also be a number of Bonnie’s prints for sale, and funds raised will be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

advertisement

advertisement

advertisement

Bonnie’s work is based on boxing and the movement of boxers. Her uncle is the renowned boxer Andy Lee, and Bonnie – a graduate of LSAD – often used his sparring sessions as drawing inspirations. Bonnie’s mother, Dawn Hickey, said, “Bonnie was a sensitive soul, full of curiosity, love, and compassion. Her art was imbued with her spirit. She brought humanity and energy to all the subjects of her paintings. She was a special talent who we hope can be appreciated for many years to come. She would have been so proud to have an exhibition of her work in her home city of Limerick.”

William O’Neill, curator, said, “Bonnie’s work is really eye-catching, and her legacy of work will speak for itself. There is a flow to the work, and you can see the action in each image. We hope to raise important funds here for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, who do such great work for grieving families.”

In Bonnie’s own words, her art aims “to express the feeling or energy being created by thinking of the way the body moves when boxing, how controlled but spontaneous it is.”

“When I paint, I am very interested in the mechanics of how it can be used as a tool by building it up or flowing and contracting, it’s as much about control as it is about chance, working with the movements and what’s in front of you. The unpredictability of the ink against the controlled static acrylic or blotchy bleach to depict a dangerous, free-flowing power being created in a fight.”

Bonnie Hickey Commemorative Exhibition launches on August 19 at 6pm at the People’s Museum of Limerick and runs until August 27. There will be another fundraising evening at 6pm on August 26 in the People’s Museum.

For more information on Heritage Week 2022 at the People’s Museum, go HERE 

For more art stories, go HERE