The Cut
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| Artist Name(s) | Joe Neeson |
| Artwork title | The Cut |
| Context/Background | The permanent sculpture was commissioned by Cork Co. Council in 2011 as part of the Per Cent for Art scheme arising from the construction of the new M8 Fermoy to Mitchelstown Road (a section of the M8 Scheme). The 16km stretch was built by Roadbridge Ltd. at a cost of €174 million, and opened to traffic on 25 May 2009. |
| Description | The sculpture is crafted from mirror-polished stainless steel and is 4 metres in height. It comprises a sequence of three dagger-like structures, reportedly based on the blades of a field mower, which tilt at an angle causing the sharp apexes to point diagonally upwards towards the sky. These formal components, along with the title, collectively refer to ‘the way the new road cuts through the landscape’. While the three ‘peaks’ protrude dramatically from the embankment, the sculpture’s mirrored finish reflects aspects of the immediate terrain, causing it to become part of the landscape from which it emerges. Photographic documentation can be viewed on the artist’s website: |
| Mediation | Cork Co. Council Annual Report 2012
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| Biographies | Joe Neeson Studied at Limerick School of Art And Design and the Crawford College of Art and Design between 1992 and 1996. In 1996 he moved to New York and worked in The Bedi Makki Art foundry in Brooklyn. He has produced work for Duchas and Government departments of Justice and Agriculture and corporations such as Ely Lilly and Shannon Development. He has been working in the area of Irish Public Art since 2000, with previous commissioners including Kerry, Cork, Mayo and Kildare County Councils. |
| Commission Type | Local Authority |
| Commissioner Name | Ian McDonagh, Arts Officer, Cork County Council |
| Commissioning process | Two stage competition |
| Project commission dates | July 7, 2011 - November 1, 2012 |
| Artform | Visual Arts |
| Funded By | Cork County Council |
| Percent for art | Yes |
| Budget Range | 35000 - 70000 euro |
| Project commission start date | 07/07/2011 |
| Project commission end date | 01/11/2012 |
| Location | Northern carriageway of the M8 Fermoy/Mitchelstown Motorway |
| County | Cork |
| Town | Fermoy |
| Content contributor(s) | Web Editor |
| Associated professionals / Specialists involved | Photographed by Declan O’Dwyer |