Munster Express Online

Artist and writer Corina Duyn.

Dis-ability … This – Ability, an exhibition of the creative work of the Irish Wheelchair Association’s (IWA) Dungarvan Resource Centre, opened at Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre last weekend.

Although they all live with disability or chronic illness, the group – with artist and writer Corina Duyn- would like to bring the focus away from ‘dis’, and focus on their ‘Ability’. This – Ability.

“At times society’s image of a person with a disability is someone who does not have much of a role to play in the world”, commented Corina. “They are labeled dis-abled (dis = taking something away) and are put into the ‘Disability Box’. The lid firmly closed… With this exhibition, they hope to challenge this view a little.”

About ten people of various abilities attend the Resource Centre on a twice-weekly basis. Two years ago, Corina joined the group, where IWA staff assisted her with the making of her sculptures. These whimsical creatures emerging from air-drying clay got the interest of fellow members and staff alike. In early 2015 she was asked if, by any chance, she could teach this art. This was the start of what is now fondly known as the Life Outside the Box Puppet Project. With financial support from Create – Artist in the Community Scheme, the group created nine puppets from scratch and a scrapbook chronicling the process. The workshops were filled with laughter as the puppets took on their ultimate personality. At the end of the eight-month project, the puppets were filmed as they ventured out of Society’s Disability Box.

These puppets and their travel boxes, passports and suitcases are on show during the exhibition, but are not for sale. However they (and their makers) are available to visit schools or other groups to talk about the experience of life with disability. What is for sale however is the wonderful Life Outside the Box book/DVD, blank notebooks with fun images of the puppets out in the world, and bookmarks. Proceeds from these will fund further Puppet adventures or art projects. Since this project the group have embarked on a papermaking workshop with Artist Tunde Toth. A selection of these Paper Art pieces is for sale. Other works included in the exhibition are by individual members: locally themed paintings by Westtown-Tramore born Pat Coffey and beautiful beaded and embroidered greeting cards by Kill resident Ann O’Grady.

One of the puppets on display.