Southside artist’s work unveiled in Aras garden

A
TALENTED young Southside sculptor has had two of his art works permanently put
on display in a garden at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Richard
Healy (33), who is originally from Terenure and lives in Tallaght, was
commissioned by the Office of Public Works to create the pieces.

The
sculptures entitled

‘The Bluebells’ and

‘The Sensory Alphabet’ were unveiled on
September 26 by President Mary McAleese.

The
President opened a new Sensory Border located on the Queen’s Walk in the
gardens at the Aras, which provides experiences for seeing, smelling, hearing,
touching and tasting through the imaginative use of plants and sculptures by
Richard and fellow artist Roisin de Buitlear.

Richard,
who is graduate of fine arts from the National College of Art and Design on
Thomas Street, explained how it transpired that officials at the Office for
Public Works commissioned him to carry out the works.

“I have
been exhibiting pieces all around the country but every year in the Botanic
Gardens there is a sculpture in context exhibition held and my pieces were seen
by members of the OPW’s arts department,

? he told Southside People.

“I was
shortlisted and a number of artists were approached to come up with proposals
for the sensory garden in the Aras and two of my pieces were chosen.

?

Richard
said that the Sensory Alphabet sculpture is an educational piece that
encourages those who encounter it to close their eyes and step into a visually
impaired world by feeling the surface of the sculpture and the bronze Braille
letters carved into the stones.

Explaining
the idea behind the art work, he said:

“In the sensory alphabet I was trying to
get an element of touch into it and it was a tough piece because it had to be
visually stimulating.

“Yet the
piece would also be aimed at a blind person, so I was trying to get a
compromise between texture and a visual piece as well.

“For the
unsighted person you can experience the Braille alphabet, so you can see what
an A feels like or B feels like and for someone who is sighted you can get to
know what the Braille equivalent is.

“Then
the President asked if I would put the words ‘you are welcome’ at the bottom of
the sculpture in Braille, so it means that you can instantly use the Braille
and you are deciphering this message that is on the bottom.

?

In
addition, Richard explained that

‘The Bluebells’ consists of seven bronze bells
suspended from bronze stems of differing heights with each one being a
different size and emitting a different sound when each bell is rung.

“This is
an interactive piece which involves touch and sound,

? he continued.

“It
evokes the sense of imagination and is fun. One can imagine small children
ringing the bottom bells easily but having to be lifted by a parent up to reach
the highest bell in their want to ring them all.

“There
is a sense of magic from and about this piece. The large bells are a draw to
both children and adults.

?