Our Creative Engagement Project “Flight” is on display in the National Botanic Gardens as part of ” Sculpture in Context”. It is displayed in the Teak House
Sculpture in Context National Botanic Gardens
Thursday 4th September – Friday 17th October
Sculpture in Context is Ireland’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to view Ireland’s well-established and most promising future artists. Each year an independent panel of selectors is invited to adjudicate this open exhibition, resulting in an exciting mix of mediums and styles.
The Gardens are not only a botanical haven and a quiet oasis on the outskirts of a modern European city; they are also a challenging venue, which gives the artist the rare opportunity to realise large-scale work. It also gives the public an opportunity to ramble and explore, sometimes finding sculptures in the most unusual places. The sculptures will be displayed throughout the gardens, ponds, Great Palm House, and Curvilinear Range, with the smaller works exhibited in the Gallery above the Visitor Centre.
Daily throughout the Garden and in the Gallery space, Visitor Centre
Admission Free.
The art department and first year art students participated in “The Creative Engagement Project 2014”, supported by the N.A.P.D, The Department of Education and Science and The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It was a wonderful creative experience for all involved. We were delighted to invite ceramist Isobel Egan, our Artist-In-Residence, to work with our first year students. The result of this unique creative collaboration is a porcelain installation, “Flight”. It was opened by Mr. Dermot Carney, N.A.P.D and is in situated beneath the staircase close to the school reception. Each student contributed to this inspirational sculpture by making three porcelain butterflies. The translucent nature of the porcelain allows the colours, pattern and textures of each butterfly to shine through. The subtle movement of the flight of the butterfly is captured in the gentle folding of each wing. ‘Flight’ is a suspended artwork that encourages the viewer to enjoy it from a variety of different perspectives. Inspiration for the sculpture was taken from The Botanic Gardens and St. Mary’s sensory garden. It is quite fitting that such a unique, positive and natural artwork is dedicated to our beloved and inspirational Deputy Principal Anne Murphy.
Second year students have focused their energies on painting portraits. The work demonstrates versatility with the application of several art mediums. There is evidence of fine skill, attention to detail and personal expression. Students used acrylics, watercolours, pencils, oil pastel, inks and paint to achieve their individual realisations of the human face. Following on from this project artwork was created using mono-printing and porcelain as craft mediums.
Third year art students met their Junior Certificate project deadline in May with work that they should be very proud to have created. The drawing exam allowed the students to portray their observational skills while studying the forms of both natural and man-made objects. The art project enables each student to explore and become proficient in several two dimensional and three dimensional art disciplines. It promotes self-directed learning, research based study and creative problem solving.
The transition year art module continued with further work on ‘My Architecture Design Journal’, a project initiated by The Architects Association of Ireland. Students had to study a design brief that asked them to create a series of interesting spaces. After brain-storming several concepts students used their numeracy skills to measure, calculate and draw their architectural designs. These studies evolved into architectural forms that were manipulated, cut, folded and constructed into original buildings and unique spaces. Transition year students also worked with our Artist-In-Residence, Isobel Egan, creating a beautiful porcelain wall-mounted artwork inspired by Glasnevin and the surrounding area.
Fifth year art students participated in the Amnesty International, ‘Voice Your Concern’ project. Each student made a visual response to ‘The Declaration of Human Rights’. The school community was invited to make a comment on the exhibited imaginative compositions which explored themes relating to the universal respect for human dignity and the rights of the individual. The project challenged students to develop subject matter relating to the Declaration and to communicate it visually. The response to this interesting series of work acknowledges the commitment and artistic talent evident within our school community.
