Thursday, June 13, 2013

Remembering Poverty: Public Art in Dublin

Quite by accident, while on an exploration near Christ Church Cathedral, I stumbled upon a piece of public art that was brilliant in its simplicity. The exhibit, by Chris Reid, is located in and around Nicholas Street and consists of twenty bronze plaques. Each plaque, without explanation, gives a short snippet of an interview conducted by the artist with Dublin residents who lived near the block of buildings on Nicholas Street. The installation coincided with the refurbishment of the housing blocks. (Reid also published Heirlooms and Hand-me-downs as a part of the project as well.) 

While many of the plaques are interesting and moving, the first one I came across (which is photographed here) was so fascinating and compelling it prompted me to learn more. Without any immediate explanation, the stories drew me to read more and eventually find the explanation. Some of the plaques recall bleaker times and generally urge vigilance, through actions and attitude, to prevent a return to those times. 

No comments:

Post a Comment