Photographic Images of Men:
Origin of Idea

One of the most prevalent concerns which has emerged throughout The Men's Project's work is that our society tolerates/supports/encourages rigid stereotypes of what it means to be a man. These, subsequently, limit the expectations of and opportunities for men in our society. Furthermore, there are few visual resources that represent the diverse aspects of men's lives. Indeed, even the few resources that do exist are rarely culturally relevant to people who live in Northern Ireland. To meet this need, The Men's Project sought to produce an "Images of Men" exhibition which could:

• Communicate with people who find difficulty with the written word.
• Remind us that men are not one-dimensional characters.
• Expand our thinking about the range of behaviours, tasks and roles that men can engage in.
• Provide alternative role models for local men.
• Help us to examine our prejudices/stereotypes about men in our society.
• Stimulate discussion about what it means to be a man in Northern Ireland.
• Shock; make us feel both comfortable and uncomfortable; help individuals to identify with characters, challenge our images ...