Artists announced for Accenture’s Women on Walls at DCU

(Pictured clockwise from bottom left-hand corner) Una Sealy, Blaise Smith, Bríd Higgins Ní Chinnéide, Jim Fitzpatrick, Jackie Hudson Lalor.

Five artists chosen to celebrate the lives of pioneering women in STEM

Today five award-winning and internationally-acclaimed artists have been selected for Accenture’s Women on Walls at DCU initiative, which will celebrate the lives of female pioneers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) through a series of commissioned portraits.

Today’s announcement follows an open call issued to artists nationally in February of this year to apply for the opportunity to create portraits honouring the contributions of Beatrice Alice Hicks, Katherine Johnson, Dame Kathleen Lonsdale, Marie Maynard Daly and Kathleen (Kay) McNulty.

All five are regarded as pioneers in STEM, making significant contributions in their specific discipline, through outstanding research work, scientific breakthroughs and lasting cultural and social change for future generations.

The commissioned portraits will be hung in the Future-Tech building at DCU’s Glasnevin Campus. This flagship building is at the forefront of DCU’s international reputation for excellence in science, computing and engineering disciplines.

Accenture’s Women on Walls initiative is a campaign that seeks to make women leaders visible through a series of commissioned portraits that will create a lasting cultural legacy for Ireland. This is the third chapter of Accenture’s Women on Walls series, which commenced in 2016 with the Royal Irish Academy and was repeated in 2019 with RCSI.

The following artists have been commissioned to complete 5 individual portraits:

Welcoming today’s announcement of the five selected artists for Accenture’s Women on Walls at DCU commissions, President of DCU, Prof Brian MacCraith, said, “We are delighted to announce the internationally-renowned panel of artists that has been commissioned to create Accenture’s Women on Walls at DCU portraits. The calibre of the five artists is a reflection of the five extraordinary and inspirational women they will portray. Their life and work has had an important and lasting impact in their respective STEM fields. These portraits will highlight the major historic contribution of women in STEM and we hope that they will inspire all of our students to fulfil their potential.”

Dr Michelle Cullen, Managing Director and Head of Inclusion & Diversity, Accenture in Ireland added, “People we see on the walls can tell us about the past, and about the people who paved the way. But sometimes, they only tell half the story. Women on Walls began in response to the simple question, where are the women? As a graduate of DCU, it is a particular honour for me to see Accenture’s Women on Walls at DCU become a reality. The initiative is grounded in a core objective of enhancing the visibility of women in STEM to inspire future generations. The five selected artists are integral in helping us achieve that.”

Andrew Hetherington, Chief Executive of Business to Arts added, “With this third edition of Accenture’s Women on Walls, we are adding five new portraits of leaders in STEM to the art collection of DCU. Accenture’s Women on Walls campaign is developing a substantial body of portraiture across academic institutions in Dublin. It represents a very tangible way to support artists, enhance the visibility of women in leadership and align with the Athena SWAN Charter. I’d like to congratulate each of the artists on their appointment to this prestigious commission.”

Learn more here

For any queries or for more information relating to the Women on Walls campaign, please contact: womenonwalls@businesstoarts.ie.