‘Making Visible the Invisible’ was awarded the prestigious ‘Project Realisation Award’ through the Artist in the Community Scheme, managed by Create Ireland on behalf of the Arts Council.

‘Making Visible the Invisible’ is built on co-produced research undertaken by Lynn Clarke-Hearty with women in prison and the community to explore their experiences of criminalisation and imprisonment in Ireland. It aims to give visibility to those whose voices and living/lived experiences are invisible in research, policy discourse and Irish society generally.

The exhibition features photography, annotated titles and commentary pieces co-created with women in prison and the community.

A photobook was also published, that is co-authored with the women involved in the research using their self-chosen pseudonyms to protect their identities. The exhibition and the photobook have been co-created with the women previously involved in the research. 

The project combines co-developed research and photography from two projects. The first, Dóchas in Focus, is a prison-based study with women who are currently serving or have served a sentence in the Dóchas Centre, the Mountjoy female prison.

The second, SAOL on Bail, is a community study with women who have experience of prison and the criminal justice system, facilitated by SAOL Project, a community addiction and education project in Dublin. 

The two research projects used the innovative method of Photovoice to explore women’s experiences of prison and life after prison in Ireland through photography, critical discussion and a showcase exhibition. Women involved in the research were given cameras to take photographs either in prison or the community. What has emerged is a profound body of work that offers a unique insight into women’s experiences of imprisonment and criminalisation. 

In sharing this important work, academics, criminal justice stakeholders and members of the general public were invited to the exhibition. The voices, as well as the living and lived experiences of women research partners are centralised. The exhibition and photobook provide a unique opportunity for women involved in the research, including those who may not be able to attend, to use their voices and share their knowledge and experience through visual art with diverse audiences and community.

In November, the exhibition will change venue and will move to the Dochas Centre. This important piece allows the women in custody to view their work along with stakeholders from the wider prison community. 

Speaking at the event, UCD School of Law doctoral scholar Lynn Clarke-Hearty, said that: “Although the project addressed many difficult topics, including imprisonment, stigma, exclusion, and the challenges of returning to the community following incarceration, a strong sense of humour, warmth, and playfulness remained present throughout the process. This speaks not only to the strength and resilience of the women involved, but also to their humanity, creativity, and capacity for hope”.

“This exhibition and photobook stand as a testament to a year of collaboration, co-production, creativity, and shared vision. Most importantly, these works reflect the voices, experiences, and expertise of the women who made this project possible”.

Speaking on behalf of the SAOL Project, Gary Broderick said in his remarks: “This collaborative and empowering exhibition, by making the invisible visible, challenges us to reexamine the cost to women, their children, families and communities, of sentencing women to prison, the depth of care women require while in prison and the range of supports they need after prison.  As a society we can do better; as a society we must do better”

On behalf of the Irish Prison Service, Governor of the Dochas Centre, Mary Kennedy said: “The award winning exhibition, ‘Making Visible the Invisible’, underpinned by co-produced research amplifies the voices and lived experiences of women in custody and in the community afterwards. The exhibition also gives a vignette into female criminalisation and imprisonment in Ireland today while significantly highlighting the potential for a rewarding and creative life beyond release.”

The exhibition runs until 25 October 2026 and is open daily between 9.30am and 5.00pm at the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre.