Printmaking Contemporary Practice
Leah O’ Sullivan
CONFLICTED
This work deals with the theme of abortion and the ‘Repeal the 8th’ movement in Ireland. The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland inserted in 1983 equates the life of a mother and an unborn child. This means that it is illegal for any woman to have an abortion in this country, which leads to thousands of women being forced to travel in cases of unwanted pregnancy. The topic of abortion has always been a controversial topic in Ireland and with the referendum taking place, clashes of opinion are undeniably happening every day. This body of work is a response to the lack of the human right to abortion, through the filter of a young woman living in contemporary Ireland. It includes gestural marks and line work. The use of the gestural marks represents covering up and the concealing of information. It also includes a spoken word sound piece featuring content from the “In Her Shoes – Women of The Eighth” Facebook page. These are stories of Irish women and their experiences of abortion, and the use of spoken word allows the viewer the opportunity to listen to women who have been denied abortion and have been forced to travel abroad.