Artist

Martha Quinn

Title of Exhibition: 'In Turn'; An exhibition of portraits and postcards of Manorhamiliton past and present in association with the residents of Aras Breffni and Taobh Tire.

About the Project/Exhibition:

Commissioned by Leitrim County Council with funding arising from  the 1%  for Arts Scheme, the project focused on creating links between the residents of the new housing schemes with the town itself, in particular, with the Leitrim Sculpture Centre. In Turn was inspired by an old postcard of Manorhamilton which led artist Martha Quinn to think about capturing a moment in time in the life and development of the town, in the same way as the photographic postcard had in its day.

Martha Quinn says “The postcard theme was chosen for this project as it represents a direct link in a universally recognisable form, a link keeping connections between people or between people and place and even between people, time and place. There can be something quite nostalgic and collectable about a postcard and even for those from a town, many like to hold images of their town out of a sense town pride; This is certainly evidenced by the number of images that are to be found on view in the homes and businesses of Manorhamilton. The postcard is also even more significant for people who have left and want to remember or show others where they are from, for those who are travelling or who have travelled and settled. Another thing about postcards is that they are in the main hand written and personal.”

The project began in 2009 when the housing schemes were completed and the residents had recently moved into their new homes. The first phase was the Own Door Portrait, which used photography to record the significant event that a change of address represents in the life of any family or individual. The ‘Own Door Project’ was extremely successful and saw over 80% of the residents taking up the offer to have their portraits taken at their front door by professional photographer and artist Paul O’Connor. 

Each portrait was then professionally framed and then was given to each of the residents along with a set of postcards made from the print.  Each of the ten postcards they received was stamped and ready to be sent out into the world, whether to friends and family or as a change of address card, or as simply a ‘we live here’ postcard! On the same day that the residents collected the portraits in the Leitrim Sculpture Centre, they viewed a collection of old photographs and postcards of Manorhamilton, kindly lent by Maureen Keeney of the former historic society. This mini-event, which was some of the residents first visit to the Sculpture Centre culminated the first phase of the project and began the second phase. 

The second phase was an invitation to the residents to engage directly in creative processes including digital print and traditional print to produce a set of images that would become a new set of postcards of and for the town of Manorhamiton as coloured and created by its residents.

In the same way that old postcards were often hand coloured, tinted and drawn on (in the days before computers and photo editing software) residents have worked on a series of images of Manorhamilton and have helped create a whole new set of postcards. For some this was a welcome chance to do something creative and “arty” that they hadn’t done in years, for others this required a little bravery and encouragement. Artist Martha Quinn explained there was no ‘wrong’ outcome, quite the contrary- any response was individual, worthy and made each image unique and very special. The postcards are now, with the contribution and creativity of the residents, a beautiful set of town portraits and will be available to take away free at the exhibition.

Along with the postcards on view at the exhibition will be the portraits, historic images of Manorhamilton and more. Everyone is welcome to drop in and view this collection of images old and new.