Born in 1923 (d. 2002) in Ireland, Brother Joseph McNally arrived in Malaya in 1946 as a teacher with the De La Salle Order of Brothers. An accomplished painter and sculptor, Brother Joseph received in 1998 the Montblanc de la Culture Award. In 2004, his ‘Counsellor II’ was erected on the grounds of the National Museum of Ireland, County Mayo.The ‘Counsellor’ series of works focus on Brother Joseph's educator/advisor role, taking into account his place in the religious and scholastic community. The works elicit a sense of communion between figures, a larger one presenting the adult and a smaller figure the child. Here, the counsellor leans forward, his rabat an indication of his order and authority, while the youthful figure looks up for guidance and protection. The simplicity in the clean lines belies Brother Joseph’s skill in creating a space of comfort and union between the abstract forms.
