Rights in their Eyes and A Portrait of Me at Tallaght University Hospital

The National Centre for Arts and Health (NCAH) is hosting two unique exhibitions at Tallaght University Hospital from August to October 2018 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ireland’s Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – a human rights treaty which includes political, social, cultural and health rights all children under the age of 18 are entitled to. The exhibitions aim to raise awareness of children’s rights and offer an opportunity for children and young people to express their views on relevant issues and concerns in a creative and imaginative way. 

Rights in their Eyes
The Ombudsman for Children’s Office invited seven winners from the 2017 Texaco Children’s Art competition to choose a right from the UNCRC and create a new piece of art expressing their views on what it is like to be a child or young adult growing up in Ireland today. The resulting touring exhibition consists of 11 framed works with accompanying explanations from the young artists themselves. The young artists chose a range of rights, subject matter and medium.

Rights in their Eyes launched in September 2017 at the RHA Gallery, Dublin, followed by exhibitions in both Temple Street Children’s Hospital and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. NCAH will exhibit the work for three months on Hospital Street. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response from patients, staff and the general public so far in response to the touring exhibition with tours and activities based around the exhibition within the different hospitals.

A Portrait of Me
The National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght invited young patients from the Oak and Maple Wards to respond to Rights in their Eyes and the 25th Anniversary by creating self-portraits for a special exhibition to run alongside Rights in their Eyes. There are 21 self-portraits each capturing the unique qualities of the young person who created the artwork. Each artist selected one or more rights that holds meaning for them and incorporated these into their self-portrait. The artworks celebrate their individuality and the importance of every child. The project promoted conversations amongst the patients whilst gathered around the art table in the play department, discussing the importance of children’s rights with a focus on the right to access healthcare. Children who were restricted to their beds were given the opportunity to complete their artwork at the bedside. The project promoted inclusivity and was open to all children who wanted to participate, co-ordinated and under the guidance of Aimee O’Neill, Art Therapist, and Catherine Garland, Hospital Play Specialist, in conjunction with the NCAH.

The intertwining of the two exhibitions further echoes the importance of the rights of the child in highlighting an opportunity for all the artworks to be seen alongside each other.

Exhibition Launch
Date: Thursday 16 August 2018
Time: 4.45pm
Location: Volunteer Coffee Shop, Hospital Atrium, Tallaght University Hospital
Dr Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children, will open the exhibition
Light refreshments will be served
RSVP by 14 August to Alison.baker@tuh.ie

Funded by the Meath Foundation.

For further details about the exhibitions, contact The National Centre for Arts and Health: Email Alison.baker@tuh.ie Tel 01 414 2076