Dublin's Last Supper
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| Artist Name(s) | John Byrne |
| Artwork title | Dublin's Last Supper |
| Description | A large-scale photographic work featuring 13 people encountered on the streets of Dublin in the form of an interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. In 2003 curator Cliodhna Shaffrey invited John Byrne to devise a proposal for a large public artwork to be installed in an outdoor space at a new development adjacent to the river Liffey in central Dublin. The patron was developer Mick Wallace, who wanted a centrepiece for his new Italian Quarter courtyard. Clíodhna felt that an artist like John Byrne, noted for his satirical wit, might respond to the nuances of Mick Wallace's persona, and his passion for politics, philosophy, Italy, wine and football. A Juventus football shirt and logo were later incorporated into the artwork. Dublin’s Last Supper (2004) is a large-scale photographic work (220 x 930 cm) depicting an modern-day re-enactment of Leonardo da Vinci's ‘The Last Supper’ (ca. 1520), with an ‘Irish twist’. Fabricated in Belgium, the photograph was screen-printed onto vitreous enamel, across nine connecting steel panels. The staging of the scene took place in St Michael's and St John's Church, Temple Bar. For the background scene, separate photographs were taken of St Luke's church in the Coomb, and the dome of the Four Courts (taken from the roof of Temple Bar Gallery and Studios). To assemble the cast of 13 apostles, Byrne approached dozens of local people over the course of several months. The final selection could represent a cross-section of ordinary people encountered on the City's streets. The cast were dressed by the artist in emblematic garments, and the banquet table was set with wine, fruit, Irish soda bread, salt, bitter herbs and a tea pot. Reflective of a “changing society and the growing cultural mix in Dublin”, Byrne perceives the artwork as an expression of "positive politics and [his] faith in ordinary people". For him, the artwork suggests that neither institution nor religion - in this case Christianity - has a monopoly on ‘goodness’. The 13 apostles (from left to right):
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| Mediation | Jane Powers, ‘Dublin's Last Supper’, Irish Times magazine , July 03, 2004 Cliodhna Shaffrey 'Dublin's Last Supper' CIRCA, issue 109, Autumn 2004 |
| Biographies | A native of Belfast, Byrne attended the Belfast College of Art & Design. After graduation he began practicing as a performance artist while attending The Slade School of Art in London. Byrne has since performed at venues throughout Ireland, the UK, Denmark, Poland, Germany and Latvia. He has been the recipient of several Arts Council Awards and his work is in many private and public collections (including the OPW and UCC). He regularly lectures in colleges throughout Ireland and is currently external examiner in Sculpture at Limerick College of Technology. He lives and works in Dublin. For full biographical details see the artist’s website |
| Commission Type | Private Commission |
| Commissioner Name | Mick Wallace, Managing Director of M & J Wallace Ltd. |
| Commissioning process | Open invitation by Project Curator Cliodhna Shaffrey |
| Project commission dates | December 31, 2003 - July 31, 2004 |
| Artform | Visual Arts |
| Funded By | Private |
| Project commission start date | 31/12/2003 |
| Project commission end date | 31/07/2004 |
| Location | Italian Quarter courtyard |
| County | Dublin |
| Street Address | Blooms Lane, Lower Ormond Quay on the North side of the River Liffey |
| Website | www.john-byrne.ie/project.php?projectsId=10 |
| Content contributor(s) | Web Editor |
| Public engagement | Customers, diners, commuters, tourists and visitors to the Italian Quarter |
| Associated professionals / Specialists involved | Project Curator: Cliodhna Shaffrey Photographer: Johantan Hession; Stage Director; Laragh Pittmann; Photo Retouching: Rory McAllorum; Costumes: Jean Cronin; Film Processing: Ciaran Rooney Assistant Photographer: Fionn Hession |
