The Pockets Project

The Gallery is delighted to be collaborating with a number of different communities for a diverse range of projects celebrating Lavinia Fontana: Trailblazer, Rule Breaker.

As part of our community programme celebrating our summer exhibition Lavinia Fontana: Trailblazer, Rule Breaker, the Gallery has been very happy to collaborate with Galway Roscommon Education & Training Board, Galway Rural Development, Galway Traveller Movement, and community artist and educator, Helen Monaghan, on The Pockets Project.

Devised and facilitated by Monaghan, this project was rooted in creative sewing and explored the historical textiles of Lavinia Fontana’s renaissance world. Taking place in two education centres in Ballygar and Athenry, Co. Galway, The Pockets Project was a unique blend of art historical learning, practical and sustainable sewing techniques and community work.

Participating groups, including women from both Traveller and settled communities, learned about the life and work of Lavinia Fontana, and gained new sewing skills while reviving the traditional techniques and customs of the Traveller heritage of beady pockets.

A selection of the pieces created are now on display in the Gallery Shop window. They were created by project participants in one of two styles. The Saccoccia style pockets are pear shaped, and were a tie-on pocket worn by women in sixteenth-century Italy. They are amongst the earliest examples of this decorative and useful item of clothing. Similar traditions can also be seen in the Traveller Community’s custom of making and wearing beady pockets, the second style on display. Made by Traveller women, these are traditional handmade items designed to be worn around the waist and used in a similar way to a modern handbag, carrying and keeping the wearer’s personal items.

The pockets were decorated with embroidery, buttons and other trinkets which were exchanged between Traveller women, close friends, and family, who might only see each other a couple of times a year. When a button or other keepsake was exchanged, it was stitched onto the pocket so that each item told a story of a person, time, and place.

The Pockets Project will be on display in the window of the Gallery Shop until 27 August 2023. For further information contact [email protected]

Lavinia Fontana: Trailblazer, Rule Breaker is proudly supported by Bank of America, Exhibition Partner.

The Gallery would like to thank the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for their ongoing support.