Trezija Stoisits filmed portrait location; The Belvedere Museum, Vienna, 2022.

PARITAS is a body of work exploring European and global feminist political activism, filmed in locations of civic and historic significance. The aim of this artwork series is to address the visual under-representation of women in politics, whilst simultaneously symbolize significant socio-historical events. At this time, the portraits have not been exhibited and filming location documentation represent the artworks.

Trezija Stoisits is a Austrian Green Party member, past parliamentary minister and feminist. Known in Austria for her long standing minorities advocate. She was also directly involved in the repatriation of artworks taken by the Nazis. Since December 2019, she became Head of the Executive Board of the Vienna Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies (VWI). Dunsmore filmed Trezija Stoisits portrait outside The Belvedere Museum, in Vienna which is one of the world’s first public art gallery and museum, and later held representative association with Nazi authorities attitudes towards ‘degenerate art’ and artwork appropriation.

Trezija Stoisits portrait location research: The Belvedere Museum, Vienna. In WW2, 1938, under the Director Bruno Grimschitz the Belvedere had close association with the Nazi authorities. A large acquisition budget was provided for "native German art" and the Modern Gallery was closed "saving degenerate art from confiscation."

Prince Eugene of Savoy, completed the Upper Belvedere in 1723. In 1776, Maria Theresa under Enlightened Absolutism created one of the world’s first public art galleries and one of the world’s first public museums. Following the relocation of the imperial collections, both of the Belvedere Palaces ceased to be public museums.

In 1896 the Upper Belvedere was a residence for Franz Ferdinand. His assassination in June 1914 contributed to the outbreak of WW1 and the collapse of the Habsburg Monarchy. Many nations post WW1, instigated the right to vote for women.

Trezija Stoisits filmed portrait was made in collaboration with KunstRaum xtd Gallery, Austria. The portrait is silent and 20mins. Edition of 3 + 1 AP. 2022.

Edition 1, Collection of KunstRaum xtd. Linz, Austria.

Camera set up for the filming of Ivana Bacik portrait, in the Mansion House, Dublin, 2018
Location of Ivana Bacik's portrait filmed on the 14th December 2018, in the Round Room, at The Mansion House, Dublin.

The 100th anniversary of women achieved the right to vote in Ireland was on Friday 14th December 2018. On this date Dunsmore filmed a video portrait of Ivana Bacik, in the location of the first Dáil Éireann (Irish Government), the ‘Round Room’ of The Mansion House, Dublin.

Ivana Bacik, is the Leader of the Irish Labur party. Her research interests include criminal law; criminology; feminist theory of law and equality law. She was Chairperson of the Oireachtas Vótáil 100 Committee organising a programme of events in 2018 to mark the centenary of women’s suffrage in Ireland. She was on the Executive of the Together for Yes campaign in the successful referendum to Repeal the Eighth Amendment in May 2018.

Dunsmore filmed Ivana Bacik on the 14th December 2018, in the The Round Room, of The Mansion House, Dublin – on the date one hundred years from when women gained the right to vote Ireland and Britain. The resultant portrait of Senator Bacik, embodies significant social-political change, whilst conceptually representing the 80 Oireachtas women that she brought together in 2008. The portrait is a visual marker of the 100th anniversary of the election in which women first had the vote in Ireland and Britain.

Ivana Bacik portrait location research: The Round Room, Mansion House, Dublin. In 1918, women achieved the right to vote in Ireland for the first time. In the general election of 14th December 1918, Constance Markievicz was the first woman TD (Ireland) and MP (Britain) elected.

Tuesday 9th December 2008 event for all former and (at that time) current women TDs and Senators. Photo courtesy of the Houses of the Oireachtas

In 2008, Sunday the 14th of December marked the 90th anniversary of the 1918 general election, the election in which women first had the vote in Ireland. In order to commemorate this historic event, (then) Senator Ivana Bacik organised a special lunch and photographic event in Leinster House (Irish Government building). This took place on Tuesday 9th December 2008 for all former and (at that time) current women TDs and Senators. A photograph was taken in the current parlimentary Dáil chamber of these women members of the Oireachtas (Irish Government). The Dáil chamber was half filled with women politicians for the first time ever. The purpose of this photographic event was to illustrate in a visual and very striking way the numbers of women who had been elected or appointed to the Oireachtas over the years.