1916 heirlooms sought for exhibit

A digital project to document family heirlooms from the period of the Easter Rising will give people a chance to include their family artifacts and treasures in an exhibition celebrating life for ordinary people of the time.

Family heirlooms from the start of the 20th century, up to and including the year of the Easter Rising, can be registered online and brought to Crawford Art Gallery in Cork on an open day on November 21, where they will be photographed and added to an online digital exhibition called ‘The People’s Exhibition’.

The objects must be able to be precisely dated to 1900-16 and can include diaries, letters, clothing, posters, medals, and other artefacts.

Some items will be chosen to be included in the Crawford’s ‘Conflicting Visions in a Turbulent Age, 1900-16’ exhibition for the centenary celebrations.

The project is an opportunity to create a snapshot of what life was like for ordinary men and women in a turbulent time in Irish history, according to the exhibition curator, art historian Dr Eimear O’Connor.

“The ‘People’s Art Exhibition’ is our way to connect the narrative of our forthcoming show, ‘Conflicting Visions in a Turbulent Age, 1900-16’, with personal histories of the time. I believe that this is an innovative and exciting opportunity for the gallery,” Dr O’Connor said.

Submissions can be registered with an object history form available via crawfordartgallery.ie