NINE REMARKABLE WOMEN Nine new portraits chosen to illuminate the story of RCSI today and its women leaders were entered into the University’s art collection in 2020
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hen the portraits of nine trailblazing academic leaders were unveiled at RCSI in March 2020, the series represented a striking addition to the University’s art collection. That the portraits were contemporary photographs, commissioned by RCSI to enhance female representation across the University, seemed a significant departure. The choice of subjects – the nine most senior women across all academic departments in 2018 – was a visible expression of RCSI’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. For RCSI, promoting female representation to future generations was a key objective: “These portraits mark a significant place on our journey towards embedding a culture of equality throughout RCSI,” says Professor Cathal Kelly, Chief Executive, RCSI. The photographic portraits are themselves a snapshot in time. The series was created by Amelia Stein, winner of the RCSI Art Award 2018, in association with The Irish Times and the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA). The award was established in 2016 to celebrate the common heritage of RCSI and the RHA and the longstanding association between art, medicine and well-being. Born in 1958, Amelia Stein lives and works in Dublin, where she has established herself as a singularly exacting photographer
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whose work is characterised by meticulous attention to detail in tandem with the attributes of fine black and white photography. Stein has worked in theatre and opera in Ireland and she was elected a member of the RHA in 2004 and of Aosdána in 2006. In 2018, when these nine trailblazers were chosen to be photographed to complement the Women on Walls collection, which commemorates historical female leaders in health care, their combined achievements highlight what an extraordinary collection of women they are. Recognising and celebrating their achievements, Stein chose to photograph the women in her signature black and white, using only natural daylight, in simple compositions, in the quiet privacy of the board room of 123 St Stephen’s Green. She set out to capture their true selves without artifice. “They are such accomplished women, I simply wanted to photograph the best version of themselves.” The individual photographic sessions took place with just Stein and her subject. Stein, during the lead-up process to the session had asked them to bring an object that represented their role. “The objects they brought helped tell me their story. I asked each of the sitters to remove their shoes and to stand – one tends to hide a lot when sitting – and each assumed a pose that seemed characteristic. They hold their object in a way that feels natural and right to them.” The new works are featured in the University’s central public space, and will add to RCSI’s rich collection of portraiture. n
