Hi Tom, Thank you for all of the work done in highlighting the abuse within Belvedere and other Jesuit schools. I have no issue with the artist or his work whatsoever. I do have an issue with the manner in how this commission was approached and realised. For such an important and sensitive commission I would have expected a much larger budget and scale of commission. I would have also expected a wider diversity within the selection panel and consultation group? Did they follow the Public Art guidelines for commissioning a work of art of this relevance and importance? Just some thoughts. Usually in such sensitive cases there is an open budget decided upon by a wider group and agencies such as the VAI, publicart.ie etc are requested to distribute information on it. From there, an open call process is generally applied. Not always but for the more sensitive projects such as this, a more open process is usually applied. It is very positive that a memorial was commissioned to recognise the abuse but I feel uncomfortable how this was achieved.
You raise some very important points. I too did feel that the piece - with no disrespect to its artistic integrity - seemed a little small, discreet even. It significance would surely have merited a much more open process, as you say. It does rather suggest that the Jesuits just wanted to get it out of the way and did not give the project the consideration that it deserved. In that sense, it may reflect the Order's general approach to abuse, of course.
Good timing with today's article in the Irish Times.
But Daly needs to change how safeguarding operates and focus on the victims and not just protecting the predators and those like Fr Bruce a Bradley SJ who protected the predators
Thank you, Mark. Yes, there's a great deal of concentration on dead Jesuits but there are several still alive and kicking who behaved shamefully - most of all, John Dardis SJ who has had a stellar career after failing Marmion's victims in 2004!
Safeguarding stance is that they talk to the living SJ and then take their word. No believing the victims. Once the SJ is dead safeguarding just washed their hands of it.
Daly should be ashamed to have such a group under him, obstructing justice at every opportunity
Hi Tom, Thank you for all of the work done in highlighting the abuse within Belvedere and other Jesuit schools. I have no issue with the artist or his work whatsoever. I do have an issue with the manner in how this commission was approached and realised. For such an important and sensitive commission I would have expected a much larger budget and scale of commission. I would have also expected a wider diversity within the selection panel and consultation group? Did they follow the Public Art guidelines for commissioning a work of art of this relevance and importance? Just some thoughts. Usually in such sensitive cases there is an open budget decided upon by a wider group and agencies such as the VAI, publicart.ie etc are requested to distribute information on it. From there, an open call process is generally applied. Not always but for the more sensitive projects such as this, a more open process is usually applied. It is very positive that a memorial was commissioned to recognise the abuse but I feel uncomfortable how this was achieved.
Hi Garrett
You raise some very important points. I too did feel that the piece - with no disrespect to its artistic integrity - seemed a little small, discreet even. It significance would surely have merited a much more open process, as you say. It does rather suggest that the Jesuits just wanted to get it out of the way and did not give the project the consideration that it deserved. In that sense, it may reflect the Order's general approach to abuse, of course.
Good timing with today's article in the Irish Times.
But Daly needs to change how safeguarding operates and focus on the victims and not just protecting the predators and those like Fr Bruce a Bradley SJ who protected the predators
Thank you, Mark. Yes, there's a great deal of concentration on dead Jesuits but there are several still alive and kicking who behaved shamefully - most of all, John Dardis SJ who has had a stellar career after failing Marmion's victims in 2004!
Safeguarding stance is that they talk to the living SJ and then take their word. No believing the victims. Once the SJ is dead safeguarding just washed their hands of it.
Daly should be ashamed to have such a group under him, obstructing justice at every opportunity