Auction of works to raise funds in aid of Cork campaign raising human trafficking awareness

The proceeds of an auction of artworks by Cork poet Gerry Murphy and visual artist John McHarg will be used to fund an ongoing campaign raising awareness in Cork of human trafficking, the chief executive and founder of the city’s Sexual Violence Centre has said.

Mary Crilly told The Echo that the auction of works from the original ‘Parallel Universe’ exhibition to take place in the body’s Camden Place base on Friday, October 18 — which happens to be EU Anti-Trafficking Day — was “special not alone due to the calibre of the works but due to the generosity of Gerry Murphy and John McHarg and Patricia Looney from Cork City Library, who is the spark behind this venture”.

“We value their generosity, their support and their collaboration,” said Ms Crilly. “This is as valuable to us, as the funds that will be raised for the Sexual Violence Centre.

“We’d love people to come, to see the place and see the paintings, we’re very privileged that both John and Gerry have donated these and that Patricia was the main woman to get it moving.

“There’s a whole lot about how Cork people work well together when we collaborate — and we do collaborate well with other agencies and it does make a difference to everybody, the whole question of sexual violence and people coming in, we are part of the community and we see ourselves as part of the community, a part that nobody wants but we are part of it.”

The exhibition 

The ‘Parallel Universe’ exhibition was first put on show in the City Library in 2019. Featuring the poetry of Mr Murphy and Mr McHarg’s visual response to that work, the pieces are described as a “fusion of two differing art disciplines, the written word and the abstract art of these two well-known Cork based virtuosos of their craft, resulting in a very special synergy within each piece”.

‘Parallel Universe’ expanded beyond an exhibition to include a beautiful publication supported by Creative Ireland, and a public engagement programme reaching audiences across the community through the city’s Poetry in the Part installations across six city parks.

Patricia Looney of Cork City Library described their involvement in ‘Parallel Universe’ as a “privilege”, from the exhibition to the publication and community engagement programme.

Ms Looney said: “The multi-faceted approach engaged with diverse audiences including many that might not actively participate with the arts in the city.”

Mr Murphy and Mr McHarg have worked together on various projects for about four decades. The first was in the mid-80s in Mr McHarg’s hometown of Midleton, when he printed a selection of Mr Murphy’s poems as broadsheets which were hung in the windows of shops and businesses as part of a Summer Fest. They also collaborated on a project called ‘It Takes All Types’.

Mr McHarg wished the auction all the best and expressed the hope that all the works would find a happy home: “‘Parallel Universe’ has meant a lot to me, so it is great that this event is taking place.”

The evening event will include readings from Mr Murphy’s poetry by local poets Michelle Delea, Colm Scully, Philip Spillane, Julie Field, Lauren O’Donovan and Alexandra Toth.