We See You. We Hear You.
Our Domestic Abuse Service marks 40 years of service with art installation that gives voice to women in Galway who experience domestic abuse.
COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service in partnership with the Radius Project, ATU Galway School of Design and Creative Arts, commissioned this art project, supported by Medtronic, to mark 40 years of service which will give people in Galway an opportunity to pause and reflect on a grave societal issue – violence against women.
“We See You, We Hear You’ is a new art installation that aims to give voice to women in Galway who experience domestic abuse.
We know that significant numbers of women in every community experience domestic abuse. By highlighting the issue, in a public space, we are supporting those women and their children. We are showing her that what has been happening to her is wrong, and that we all know it to be wrong. By supporting this, our communities are working with us to save lives.
The art installation has seven display cases. Six of them hold a sculpted head representing different women. The seventh is empty to represent women who have lost their lives due to domestic abuse.
The display cases have a QR code that connects to an audio recording of a women sharing her personal experience of domestic abuse. You can also listen to the stories here.
The art installation will be on public view in different locations in Galway City and County. See locations below.
The Artist
The sculptural work, titled ‘We See You, We Hear You, was created by Galway artist and graduate of ATU Galway’s MA in Creative Art Practice, Maura Finnegan.
Maura’s brief was create art that would harness aesthetic means to ignite a meaningful provocative conversation that articulates the painful daily realities of the women and children who engage with COPE Galway’s Domestic Abuse Service.
She worked in collaboration with our Domestic Abuse Service team and women who have engaged with the service, getting in put on what they thought the artwork should portray.
As part of the project, Maura included 10 stories of women The art project also features 10 stories
I chose to sculpt the head and face of women from a diverse age and cultural demographic, six in all, representative of the city and county in contemporary society. There is a seventh display case laid empty, indicating the worst possible outcome of domestic abuse.”
– Maura Finnegan
Where to see the sculptures
The sculptures will be available for public viewing at different locations across Galway City and County, from November 25, 2022 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to March 8 2023 (International Womens’ Day).
Below are confirmed dates and locations. We will be adding more over the coming weeks.
28 April – 1 May 2023 | Treasure Chest
31 William Street, H91 CY64
20-27 April 2023 | Western Gardaí Headquarters
Old Dublin Road, Renmore
8 March 2023 | Galway City
Modh Eile House (not open for public viewing)
28 February – 7 March 2023 | Clifden
Alcock & Brown Hotel, Market Square, Clifden, H71 KN29
21 – 28 February 2023 | Tuam Library
High Street, Corralea West, Tuam, H54 F627
14 – 21 February 2023 | Gort
Barrack Street, Gort
7 – 14 February 2023 | Oranmore Library
Main Street, Oranmore
31 January – 7 February 2023 | Athenry Community Hall
Cross Street, Gorteenacra, Athenry
25 – 31 January 2023 | Loughrea
Former Billy’s Discount Store, Main Street Loughrea
17 – 25 January 2023 | Ballinasloe Library
Society Street, Ballinasloe, H53 T320
The ‘We See You. We Hear You.’ Art Installation is a collaborative between COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service and The Radius Project (ATU Galway, School of Design and Creative Arts) and is supported by Medtronic.
