Opinion: From historical monuments to the Spire and the Portal, public art in Ireland has often struggled to win over the general public
Public art in Ireland has often struggled to win over the general public. From historical monuments of British figures being destroyed, to more recent challenges with the Dublin-New York portal, there is often a resistance to art in public spaces. What can we learn from public art in Ireland?
Public art is artworks that are in the public sphere where the general public can encounter them. They usually involve an artist or artists creating artworks in response to a place. Public art is typically contrasted with art exhibited in museums and galleries where people have to intentionally seek it out. The public aspect of public art facilitates unplanned encounters.
The majority of public art commissions in Ireland are by local authorities, schools, health settings and the OPW via the Per Cent for Arts Scheme. This is a government initiative, first introduced in 1978, whereby 1% of the cost of any publicly funded capital, infrastructural and building development can be allocated to the commissioning of a work of art. The nature of public art means that it is often subject to more public scrutiny than artworks displayed in a gallery or museum. Most of our frustration with public art is based on the cost of an artwork, it’s corresponding artistic worth, its ability to represent a place’s identity and its failure to fit in with its surroundings.
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From RTÉ Arcvhies, Locals object to proposed pagan-inspired statue of St Patrick for the Hill of Tara in a 1997 Nationwide report with Teresa Mannion
The history of public art in Ireland is filled with controversial works. Anette Hennessy’s depiction of St Patrick dressed in a knee length tunic and his head shaven was earmarked for the Hill of Tara in 1997 but was eventually rejected after protests by concerned locals, who wanted a more traditional representation of the saint in ceremonial robes. Three years later, a statue donated by the Sisters of Charity went up on the site. In 1986, Belfast City Council commissioned a statue as part of the redevelopment of Amelia Street, which was once known as a red-light district. Cork-born sculptor Louise Walsh created 'Monument to the Unknown Woman Worker’, which features two working-class women and commemorates the countless unknown women who have shaped Belfast.
The sculpture was criticised for being a monument to prostitution and led to Belfast City Council to vote to withdraw funding for the work. A private developer recommissioned the sculpture and its official unveiling took place seven years later in 1993. The early years of the Irish Free State saw the dismantling of commemorative works and historical monuments that were representative of British dominance in Ireland. Statues of King William III on College Green in Dublin, Lord Dunkillen on Eyre Square in Galway and Viscount Fitzgibbon in Limerick City were all destroyed in acts of defiance. As so often through history, public art can reflect our frustrations with current political and social situations.
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From RTÉ Archives, A once controversial sculpture the 'Monument to the Unknown Woman Worker' is unveiled in Belfast in 1993
The expectations that public art must meet are extremely high. Public art must be accessible, visually satisfying and easy to maintain on a long term basis. On many occasions, initial negative reactions to public art have been contradicted by an eventual embracing of their presence. In 2021, plans for Aidan Harte’s interpretive artwork of the Púca to be erected in Ennistymon were paused after widespread local criticism of the proposed piece that it was "grotesque and scary". Many locals felt that it was not an appropriate image in keeping with the heritage of the town, and the widespread belief the Púca can bring bad luck.
Frustratingly for the commissioners and the artist, the public outcry came only after images of the statue surfaced online. In this instance, the consultation and design process would have benefited from re-evaluation to allow for more transparency and feedback from locals at various intervals, rather than when the finished artwork was made public. Although the statue was later erected at the Michael Cusack Centre in the Burren, it begs the question of exactly how can public art be evaluated fairly and by whom?
When the Monument of Light, more commonly known as The Spire was first installed on O’Connell St in Dublin, it brought various difficulties with the public refuting its purpose and high court proceedings beginning because of incorrect planning applications. In the two decades since, The Spire has become a landmark and an icon of the city with it appearing in artworks, merchandise and marketing campaigns. The Spire currently has 3.5 stars on Trip Advisor with reviews ranging from "truly one of the monuments of all time in Dublin" to "they should transform it into something useful by putting public toilets in the base of it". It appears that the jury is still out.
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From RTÉ Archives, The first section of the Dublin Spire a new monument for the city is bolted into position on O'Connell Street in 2002
The Spire’s predecessor on O’Connell St, the Anna Livia sculpture was subject to debate, vandalism and eventual relocation. Named after a character in James Joyce’s 'Finnegan’s Wake, the Anna Livia was designed to embody a personification of the river Liffey, featuring a female figure reclining in flowing water. After it was installed in 1988, it became the biggest and most expensive refuse bin in the city and management of the site became costly and troublesome for Dublin Corporation. The Anna Livia fountain was removed in 2001 and now resides in Croppies Acre Memorial Park near Heuston Station. It seems that any piece of public art on O’Connell St can never live up to the romance and nostalgia associated with Nelson’s Pillar and it’s dramatic end with an explosion.
And yet, many public art projects in Ireland have successfully fulfilled their main functions. Bronze statues of Molly Malone and Phil Lynott have heightened tourist interest in Dublin city. The mural of Savita Halappanavar, created a communal space for supporters of a Yes vote in the referendum on the Eighth Amendment. Likewise, the Free Derry corner in the Bogside area of Derry city has become a focal point for civil rights and political liberty for over 50 years. Joe Caslin's large scale murals and Dublin Canvas project have beautified otherwise utilitarian spaces. These are all examples of public art that have brought personality to street corners, buildings and outdoor spaces, giving them a distinct identity.
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From RTÉ Archives, Charlie Bird reports in 1988 as opinions are divided over Dublin Corporation plans for the Anna Livia fountain in the city centre
Public art above all is supposed to reflect who we are, individually and collectively. When the 'portal' connecting Dublin and New York City was shut down due to "inappropriate behaviour", it symbolised all of our anxieties of disgracing ourselves on the world stage. Has this piece of public art failed us or have we, the public, just failed to utilise it to its potential?
Each installation of public art is an enormous opportunity to bring people together. In times of conflict, difficulty and misunderstanding, public art can provide a space for reflection, commemoration and even protest. Public art has a unique power to make strong, enduring impacts on cities, places and people’s lives. We must find new ways of being supportive of artists so that public art can be responsive to changing events, as well being a permanent visual feature in our daily experiences.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
