some background on OUR Exquisite PORTRAITS

Illustrators Ireland and Friends have started a project that aims to document some aspects of the lockdown while creating some connection between artists, writers and the general public.

It is taking the shape of a giant Exquisite Confinement Corpse, where each of the more than 30 illustrators involved is busy creating a family self-portrait: a picture of themselves and their real or imaginary family during confinement (this could include actual family members, characters from books they've read or movies they've watched, spirit animals and more). Each portrait will be in the artist's distinctive style, but all will be unified by the general theme, by the size used (they are working on pieces that are each 1m high!) and by a horizon line which will be positioned at the same height on each image.

Meanwhile, we are also rallying the writers, Irish-based children's writers working in English and Irish. Their brief is to write one sentence each that they feel best represents their experience of confinement or that of people they know, which means we will have a beautiful array of voices and situations.

Finally, the general public. We want to call on the general public (kids and adults) to help us fill the giant frieze by posting their colourful drawings/paintings of nature and wildlife. We are doing the callout for Cruinniú na nÓg in June.

When all is put together, we want to invite everybody to come and see the work of people (artists, writers, kids, grownups) who spent months apart and yet managed to work together.