Work of Sr. Aloysius on show

The work of the late Derry iconographer and former teacher Sister Aloysius McVeigh will go on display at the Playhouse this week.
Pictured back in 2007, His Excellency Yury Fedotov, Ambassador of Russia, and his wife Elena visited the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Pump Street where they met (the late) Sr Aloysius, iconographer, Annesley Malley, Friends of Prehen House, and Dick Sinclair, art tutor. The guests were shown works by the local school of icon-painting and a 16th Century Russian icon from Prehen House. (0510C13)Pictured back in 2007, His Excellency Yury Fedotov, Ambassador of Russia, and his wife Elena visited the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Pump Street where they met (the late) Sr Aloysius, iconographer, Annesley Malley, Friends of Prehen House, and Dick Sinclair, art tutor. The guests were shown works by the local school of icon-painting and a 16th Century Russian icon from Prehen House. (0510C13)
Pictured back in 2007, His Excellency Yury Fedotov, Ambassador of Russia, and his wife Elena visited the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Pump Street where they met (the late) Sr Aloysius, iconographer, Annesley Malley, Friends of Prehen House, and Dick Sinclair, art tutor. The guests were shown works by the local school of icon-painting and a 16th Century Russian icon from Prehen House. (0510C13)

The retrospective exhibition will open this Wednesday and run through to Monday April 18, with the official launch this Friday, April 1 at 1pm and open to everyone.

Recognised as one of Europe’s leading iconographers, Sister Aloysius was a much loved Artist in Residence at The Playhouse for 16 years before her sad passing in 2008.

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Her work, which she described as the creation of a ‘visible bible’, was celebrated worldwide.

Originally from Dungiven, Sr Aloysius created the city’s most famous icon ‘Our Lady of Derry’. After joining the Sisters of Mercy she spent many years teaching, and co-directed courses in icon painting arranged by the Association of Irish Iconographers, of which she was a founding member.

This new exhibition will feature sketches, drawings, a video, and an opportunity to see her final piece of work, ‘The Mercy Window’, which her friend and fellow artist Brother Joe Connolly completed after her passing.

“Sr Aloysius first became interested in Iconography around 17 years ago and describes how she felt their powerful, prayerful presence in the Orthodox Churches in Eastern Europe,” Playhouse Chief Executive Niall McCaughan said. “The whole process could take weeks, even months, and cannot be hurried.”

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