Lights in the Darkness
They say we see 10 percent of an ice berg, the rest hidden in the sea, for this project the finished products will mark a small percentage of the behind the scenes workshops, organisation and development. In essence, for the artist the process of creating the work with the community groups in Longford has huge significance in creating the final large scale installation on the 24th of April 2016.
The finished piece
The finished piece will be a host of 50 life size lantern figures placed in a location in Longford town for a single evening. This will mark a commemorative event for 1916, in this instance the installation will include sculptural lanterns of men, women and children to symbolise those who died and were injured during this time.
The figures will be featureless representing the anonymity of many of those who died.
The intention of the work is to remember the sacrifice made by those on all sides and no sides.
The process
Tom Meskell, the artist who conceived of this piece, has been developing this style of installation for over 14 years. Fifty figures will be produced through a series of figurative lantern sculpture workshops. The workshops will be held with a number of community groups in various locations in Longford. It is expected that over 100 people will take part in the workshops over a two month period. The participants will be drawn from a broad spectrum of society, Tom has developed a system of creating this work so all can be involved in a meaningful way.
In doing this it is hoped that the workshops will give the participants ownership over the event. The centenary celebration will also create an opportunity to redefine our relationship with our historical past while including new cultural and ethnic influences.
Tom is the grandson of Patrick Doyle a veteran of 1916, who was originally from Kenagh in Longford. For Tom this body of work marks a very personal dialogue with the legacy of a man who died when he was very young but who’s presence is very much alive in his family history and mythology.
They say we see 10 percent of an ice berg, the rest hidden in the sea, for this project the finished products will mark a small percentage of the behind the scenes workshops, organisation and development. In essence, for the artist the process of creating the work with the community groups in Longford has huge significance in creating the final large scale installation on the 24th of April 2016.
The finished piece
The finished piece will be a host of 50 life size lantern figures placed in a location in Longford town for a single evening. This will mark a commemorative event for 1916, in this instance the installation will include sculptural lanterns of men, women and children to symbolise those who died and were injured during this time.
The figures will be featureless representing the anonymity of many of those who died.
The intention of the work is to remember the sacrifice made by those on all sides and no sides.
The process
Tom Meskell, the artist who conceived of this piece, has been developing this style of installation for over 14 years. Fifty figures will be produced through a series of figurative lantern sculpture workshops. The workshops will be held with a number of community groups in various locations in Longford. It is expected that over 100 people will take part in the workshops over a two month period. The participants will be drawn from a broad spectrum of society, Tom has developed a system of creating this work so all can be involved in a meaningful way.
In doing this it is hoped that the workshops will give the participants ownership over the event. The centenary celebration will also create an opportunity to redefine our relationship with our historical past while including new cultural and ethnic influences.
Tom is the grandson of Patrick Doyle a veteran of 1916, who was originally from Kenagh in Longford. For Tom this body of work marks a very personal dialogue with the legacy of a man who died when he was very young but who’s presence is very much alive in his family history and mythology.
Febuary - April 2016 Lights in the Darkness Longford
This project was great fun and involved participants from the Engage Arts group in Longford and participants from the PLC arts course there, the work was displayed as part of the Culture Night events on the 18th September 2015, this was very much a group project and each angel was made by two people.
The Moon Garden
The moon garden was on tour for a second year, this time at the Aisling festival in Longford.
Beast
I was part of a project called BEAST (Baboró, environmet, art, science and technology) and curated the work of a arts science
and schools programme. I put a installation together including all the differents elements and it was in action for the week of Baboró international childrens art festival.
and schools programme. I put a installation together including all the differents elements and it was in action for the week of Baboró international childrens art festival.
The Wishing Trees
This is from a lantern sculpture symposia weekend I facillitated in Cavan at the end of April, the finished piece was called the wishing trees - enjoy!
Look to the Light
This is a lantern sculpture project with young adults from Co Mayo, there were five 3 hour workshops held at National Museum of Ireland - Country Life,
Turlough Park, the figures were based on the collection at the museum and the figures are on tempory display at the museum.
Turlough Park, the figures were based on the collection at the museum and the figures are on tempory display at the museum.
The Moon Garden
This Installation was made in collaboration with the staff and participants at the Rural Training Centre Castlebar Co Mayo, the piece was made for children festivals and will freature in the linnenhall arts centre Roula Boula festival on the 30th and 31st of Oct and the Hullabaloo Childrens art festival in Birr Co Offaly on the 3rd, 4th ,5th Nov 2011. The piece is 10 feet wideand 5 feet deep and 8 feet high and requires electricity and invigilation. There is a sound piece as part of the installation writtten by the participants and recorded by a professional actor Guy Carlton, this utube clip is a slide show of images and the sound track, enjoy!
Minders of the Menagerie - Linnenhall Art Centre 2003
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