In mid November 2025, Camille Lisonbee, intern at Olivier Cornet Gallery, wrote about Miriam McConnon's 'A Cypriot story of displacement'. This painting is on view and available for sale at the gallery (900 euro).  This work was part of Displaced Privilege, a solo show the artist presented at the gallery in the summer months of 2021.

McConnon’s work gains deeper resonance when seen against the history of Cyprus and its long, painful relationship with Turkey. A Cypriot Story of Displacement speaks directly to the upheaval of 1974 and the island’s enduring division, rooting her delicate lace imagery in a landscape where memory is both contested and emotionally charged. The lace, fragile yet resilient, mirrors personal histories that risk being overshadowed by political narratives.

Her use of sentimental motifs such as rings, bracelets, and plates honours the intimate objects refugees cling to when everything else is lost. In the Cypriot context, these items become guardians of a vanished home, quietly evoking the domestic warmth and identity disrupted by conflict.

By pairing Cypriot and Syrian stories of displacement, McConnon underscores a shared human experience that transcends time and geography. Cyprus, once a source of refugees, later became a refuge for others; an echo reflected in her patterns, weaves, and tapestries. These soft materials contrast sharply with the rigidity of borders and divisions, urging viewers to look beyond official histories to the lived realities beneath. In doing so, McConnon fulfils her aim: through intimate, handcrafted symbolism, she fosters empathy, understanding, and renewed recognition of personal narratives that might otherwise fade.

Her work resonated with me, because when I came to Dublin to start fresh, I found a community bound not by blood but by art and culture. People who cared for me in ways I had never experienced. I found my place much like displaced Cypriots found comfort in the few trinkets they carried and in the families with whom they shared trauma and hope.

For Cypriots, and for anyone familiar with the island’s fraught history, McConnon’s approach offers a deeply respectful way of honouring trauma without sensationalizing it, ensuring these personal stories remain visible, dignified, and alive.

Camille Lisonbee, November 2025