Commemorative Tower to the Hobblers
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| Artist Name(s) | Fiona Mulholland |
| Artwork title | Commemorative Tower to the Hobblers |
| Context/Background | To celebrate the completion of the harbour’s new marina, the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company commissioned Mulholland to create a large scale public sculpture. The artwork is in recognition of the perilous work the Hobbling Community once performed in guiding incoming vessels safely into the port of Dún Laoghaire and assisting mooring right up to the 1930s. Hobbling is described in the Oxford Dictionary as ‘unlicensed pilotage’. Hobbling is an old occupation and in all probability goes back to the early decades of the 19th Century when Hutchinson was made Harbour Master of the New Royal Harbour of Kingstown. By the 1940's it had died out as an occupation. |
| Description | The sculpture comprises 64 life-size cast bronze lifejackets, configured as a tower. Base-mounted spot-lighting illuminates the tower at night. The theme for this art work is derived from a familiar maritime symbol and a metaphor for human insecurity and survival. The tower memorialises the tragic deaths of numerous hobblers, while acting as a signifier of general human mortality. |
| Mediation | A comprehensive, historical overview of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company's development is presented in: ‘Dun Laoghaire Harbour Heritage Management Plan’, compiled by Shaffrey Associates Architects in 2011 dlharbour.ie/wp-content/uploads/masterplan/dl_harbour_heritage.pdf |
| Biographies | Fiona Mulholland was born in France in 1969. She completed a B.Des (1st class Hons) at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin (1989-83) and a M.A from Royal College of Art, London (1996-98). Selected solo/group exhibitions and commissions: www.monstertruck.ie/subfolder/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Bio-FIONA_MULHOLLAND.doc.pdf Art practice and project documentation: www.firestation.ie/artists/artist/fiona-mulholland/ www.leitrimsculpturecentre.ie/programme/residencies/2010/res_fiona_mullholland.html |
| Commission Type | Local Authority |
| Commissioner Name | Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company |
| Commissioning process | Two stage competition |
| Artform | Visual Arts |
| Funded By | Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Co. Council |
| Percent for art | Yes |
| Budget Range | 10000 - 30000 euro |
| Project commission end date | 01/12/2002 |
| Location | East Marina Breakwater |
| County | Dublin |
| Town | Dún Laoghaire |
| Street Address | Dún Laoghaire Harbour |
| Content contributor(s) | Web Editor |
| Associated professionals / Specialists involved | Project co-ordinated by Visual Artists’ Ireland Fabrication - CAST Ltd. |