Twice this year we were very happy to have Philip and Francoise Barbier from ATD in the art class in Mountjoy. They arrived with a strange little suitcase full of coloured wire.
After talking about the work already being done with communities outside of prison and explaining how ATD hopes to unite people who have been excluded and whose voices are unheard usually because of poverty the art students became very enthusiastic about making their own wire pieces.

These personal individual pieces would then be put together by Philip as one larger sculpture to make one BIG statement.
The following describes some thoughts by the men in Mountjoy who took part in the project:

Lolly made wire goalposts with a little ball hanging at the side. He said that the ball is aimed at the goal. The goal is about having something to AIM at because up until recently he has only ‘hitting the bars".
Myles made a pair of glasses. He tallked about seeing things in a different light and seeing things more clearly. He's been in the dark for a long time but now wants to FOCUS.

There was a very simple 3 lettered word S A M put together by -no surprise Sam!. This is very special because this person is just now improving his literacy skills. He says that by spelling his name in wire , the statement is made that " I am here- don't forget me - I EXIST!
One Mick made a tree representing life and all its seasons. He stated that there is a time for everything -a time to grow and a time to die- but life continues and big things can grow from small seeds.
Another Mick designed a ladder with a little man on the top. He wanted this to be symbolic of himself trying YES to escape! but also more importantly of reaching new heights- CLIMBING UP and reaching for the stars.

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Poverty and exclusion are words that many of these men are familiar with. It is hoped that engaging in such projects that steps can be made one at a time to help make changes. That by giving the forgotten ones a voice a difference can be made. The men inside asked me to pass on their messages today and so already they are getting their voices heard.

The collaborative wire sculptures were displayed on the 17th October at the UN anti poverty commemerative day in Dublin at the un-veiling of the commemerative Poverty stone.
I told the stories above on behalf of the art students absent , highlighting a new network of communication through the arts.