ONE of Ireland’s top artists is looking for volunteers from across Fingal to participate in making an iconic artwork which will be permanently displayed in a prominent site within the Swords Cultural Quarter.
John Byrne has been commissioned by Fingal County Council under the Infrastructure 2018–2021 Public Art Programme.
Mr Byrne is planning to create a giant photographic image, featuring a cross-section of people in Fingal, which will be printed and fired onto steel panels.
The image will reference two well-known historical European paintings for which Mr Byrne will cast a broad range of Fingal residents.
They will be immortalised in the artwork essentially engaged in a ‘tug of war’ between the two paintings representing the ‘pull’ between rural and urban life in the county and beyond.
Mr Byrne wants to open up this project to as many people as possible. He is asking members of the public to send him a photograph of themselves along with details of their age and height and their email and phone contact details.
The photograph can be a selfie or a clear head and shoulder shot. The photographs and other details required should be sent to johnbyrnecabra@gmail.com by February 21.
Mr Byrne will then, with the assistance of the Fingal Arts Office, begin the process of selecting those who will eventually be included in the actual shoot which is scheduled for Swords in mid-July.
Cllr Paul Donnelly, Chair of the Community Development, Heritage, Culture and Creativity Strategic Policy Committee, said: “This is a unique opportunity for citizens from all over Fingal to get involved in a major arts project and those who are eventually chosen by the artist will be immortalised in an iconic artwork.”
Caroline Cowley, Public Art Co-ordinator with Fingal County Council’s Arts Office, said the artist and the council were looking for people of all ages and from all walks of life to participate.
“This is public art at its most public,” said Ms Cowley. “We are interested in all age groups and diverse communities from all over the county that will capture Fingal in time as it plans for a major cultural investment.”
