Exhibition tells story behind iconic sculpture

A NEW exhibition has gone on show in Dun Laoghaire that tells the story of the iconic Christ the King sculpture. 

In May of last year dlr Libraries’ Local Studies Department was contacted by Jeremy Kenny regarding an archive of information relating to the sculpture by the much celebrated sculptor Andrew O’Connor (1874-1941), which is now situated in the grounds of dlr LexIcon.

Jeremy’s grandfather Edward J Kenny and his father Edmond A Kenny were instrumental in the preservation and eventual installation of the sculpture at Haigh Terrace in December 1978.

Edward J Kenny was a solicitor and kept extensive files outlining the gestation and context of the project and these files add a great deal to what was to become an intriguing story of cultural and clerical politics spanning almost half a century from the early 1930s to the late 1970s.

It was in Edward’s backyard of his house on Rochestown Avenue that the sculpture was stored for many years due to a stalemate situation regarding its proposed location.

The Kenny family donated this important archive of files in June 2015 which contains letters, newspaper cuttings, booklets, receipts and photographs that will be of great interest to art and cultural historians and indeed the general public

 Following a series of meetings with colleagues in UCD, it was agreed that the archive could be the focus of a mutually beneficial partnership between dlr Libraries and the School of History’s MA Archives and Records Management Programme.

This exhibition and the online version serve to highlight a selection of material contained in this archive.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Saul said:  “Undoubtedly there is ample scope for further scholarly research with the wide-ranging material contained in these files – the Kenny archive is a major addition to the story of this much-loved sculpture.”

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council praised the Kenny family for donating the invaluable archive and all the staff and students from the MA Archives and Records Management Programme, Masters in Library and Information Studies and Digital Library in UCD who were involved with the creation of the website and exhibition.

The exhibition can be viewed on Level 5, dlr LexIcon until August 20. The online version is available at www.lexiconexhib.omeka.net