Sir, – We refer to Alice Hanratty's letter (August 11th), querying what an art project "exploring statehood from the perspective of the female body" might mean. The project in question is called In the Shadow of the State and is one of nine projects that has received funding from the Arts Council's programme as part of Ireland 2016. We are the artists who have been awarded the funding for this particular project.
To answer Alice Hanratty’s question – this artwork will examine how institutions, laws and practices of the State have impacted on the female body. Since the formation of our state, women’s bodies have experienced and endured the deeply physical impact of State ideology. This has included industrial incarceration (the Magdalene laundries); obstetric violence (symphysiotomy without consent or admission of wrongdoing); the legality of marital rape (until 1990); reproductive injustices (too many horrors to name).
We look forward to working with experts from law, medicine, material culture and music over the next year, as well as engaging with women’s groups and communities of interest in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain, to further explore and critique “statehood from the perspective of the female body”. – Yours, etc,
SARAH BROWNE,
JESSE JONES,
Glasnevin, Dublin 9.