South Armagh-based artist Sharon Kelly combines her artistic talents with the field of sports – and her new exhibition Counterpunch - A Collision of Art and Sport is no exception. The Dublin City Council Culture Company will be supporting the collaboration of Dublin's north inner city women boxers and Kelly as part of the Creative Residency programme. Entry to the gallery is free and anyone can enter from Friday, May 26, to Monday, June 5, from 10am-5pm at the National Stadium Gym. There will be a launch for the exhibition on Thursday, May 25, at 5pm.

Kelly has been incorporating sports into her artwork since 2013 and the artist is focused on the parallels between sports and how people live their daily lives, especially with the elements of determination, resilience both mentally and physically, and preparation, among others.

The women boxers from Corinthians Boxing Club worked with Kelly as the multimedia gallery mainly focuses on the struggles the women faced and their mental and physical resilience. The gallery features video content, sculptures and drawings.

“I was unsure how it was going to go when we first met, but then we did the inking up of the gloves which was cool to see,” stated boxer Nicole O’Sullivan. “I’m not that artistic so it was interesting to see Sharon’s vision and the ideas she had.”

O’Sullivan is one of the three boxers that worked directly with Kelly to bring the exhibit to life in addition to Yasmin Meredith and Eve Woods. Over several months, Kelly and the boxers worked closely through training, collaborative efforts and conversation to bring the art to life.

Photo courtesy of DCC Culture Company Counterpunch – Photo by Rory Moore

Kelly mentioned, “I wanted to find an organic way of allowing art and boxing to collide, and that it should be exploratory, curious and enjoyable for all involved.

“For example, punch bags were wrapped in canvas and scrim with the purpose of collecting the residue marks of punches made by the women with gloves that had been dipped in black paint or charcoal.”

The CEO of the Dublin City Council Culture Company, Iseult Dunne, mentioned, “Collaboration between communities and artists to increase cultural participation and opportunities, and to embed cultural experiences is at the heart of what Culture Company does.”

The Dublin City Council Culture Company was started in 2018 to bridge the gap between culture and people in Dublin and received a major recognition with the Global Award for Cultural Engagement 202. Efforts made by the company have a main goal of including community members with culture in accessible ways and with valuable contributions. The efforts are similar to the city of Amsterdam and their combination of city and people.

The Creative Residency programme was created by Dublin City Council Culture Company and is utilised to test out different methods of connecting culture through conversation. The programme continues the goal of the company by connecting people with culture and adding to the city's cultural elements with new and exciting experiences and trials.

The new exhibit has accessible options for anyone who may need them. The space is wheelchair accessible and also has a designated quiet space. The exhibit will also have a sensory box with different elements used in the development of the gallery is available, large print text and is a self-guided audio-described tour.

Dunne concluded, “I’m delighted to see this shared project and experience come to life through this exhibition and am looking forward to everyone being able to enjoy it from May 26th.”