Peace and culture themes inspire artists' installation

Councillor Noreen McClelland was among the guests at the Engine Room Gallery in Belfast.

Opening proceedings, Cllr McClelland commended visual artist Lise McGreevy, poet Jim Johnston, composer Marie Therese Davis and film maker Paul Whittaker on the “extremely impressive” installation and the “incredibly important message it conveyed”.

She said: “I have known Lise for a long time now and have watched her grow her Peace and Reconcile project from the first phase, Psychedelic, Hitchcock Belfast, was launched with MLA endorsement at Stormont last year; she feels passionate about promoting peace both here and globally and I commend her in her endeavours to do so.”

In addition to Lise’s Donegal-based photographic exhibition, the installation consists of music, poetry and film created especially by Jim, Marie Therese and Paul.

Lise said their aim with this ‘Abandoned; Not Forgotten?’ installation is to celebrate both the Ulster Scots and Irish cultures equally.

“With this Phase II of my programme, I wanted to strip away the orange and green politics that divide us and celebrate the culture that unites us,” she said.