Thought-provoking ‘Good Friday Agreement’ exhibition in Omagh

An exhibit 20 years in the making and featuring silent video portraits of 14 political figures who negotiated the Belfast Good Friday Agreement (BGFA), is set to open to the public for a short period in Omagh Community House.

Made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, in partnership with Ulster Presents at Ulster University and brought to the town by the Omagh Pride committee, ‘AGREEMENT’ by artist Amanda Dunsmore will be displayed in its entirety across a 24-hour period.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 7-9pm on Friday, November 17, with a launch event featuring Ms Dunsmore, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday, November 18.

The artwork, following a run at the Ulster University over the 25th anniversary of the signing of the BGFA, is journeying into diverse communities across the North, as an opportunity for communities to reflect on the principles of coming to agreement and on what the Belfast Good Friday Agreement means to people today.

Omagh Pride committee member, Lorraine Montague, explained why the group is so keen to host the artwork.

“Twenty-five years ago, Omagh and Northern Ireland as a whole experienced momentous events which have shaped us since,” she said.

“Unfortunately, minority voices, such as that of the LGBTQ+ community, were often not heard in the early years of the peace process.

“Therefore, I think it’s fitting that Omagh Pride has been given the opportunity to bring this exhibition to the town and allow people to reflect on what the Good Friday Agreement represented, what it means for them, and what it means to strive for agreement in general.”

Six groups have been offered the opportunity to host the artwork in their community, in different parts of the North.

The groups were each invited to attend the launch at Ulster University, Belfast, 17th April 2023.

The artwork aims to create a silent, intimate space for both reflection and contemplation on the meaning of ‘agreement’.

Participating groups have committed to a series of conversations and workshops exploring people’s thoughts and feelings about what the Belfast Good Friday Agreement means to them today.

As artist, Amanda Dunsmore, explains, “It’s always been essential to me that this work is seen and owned by communities in Northern Ireland; not so much as a commemoration of political leadership at the time, but for us all to consider our own role, in the silences between political opinion, in sustaining a peaceful and non-violent future.”

Omagh is the next location for the artwork to travel to in a tour of communities across the North.