‘Vestibule’, was initiated and devised by independent curator Aoife Tunney. It ran from 16th May to 20th September 2014 in Merrion Square, Dublin, and curated works responded to and considered the architecture and history of the iconic Georgian square. An outdoor installation of three pieces of contemporary sculpture was complemented by a programme of satellite exhibitions ( 17th - July 30th) which took place in cultural venues around the square, (see below) featuring artworks by Aleana Egan (IRL), Daniel Gustav Cramer(DE) and Eva Rothschild (IRL). 

Vestibule is an architectural term which typically refers to a small room or hallway between an entrance and the interior of the building or house. The vestibule acts as an ante-chamber between the exterior and the interior structure, a space in which to consider and reflect.

Aleana Egan ‘Understudy’ (2014)

Egan's artwork for Vestibule was a tall, galvanised, powder-coated steel structure (910 x 330 x 65 cm ) incorporating a park bench. Egan described the piece as drawing on elements of the surrounding environment, extending to Grand Canal Basin and the Docklands, and echoing the shape of the square, creating an open space within an open space. She has also produced a printed poster, which was available at the Irish Architectural Archive (17th- 30th July).

Daniel Gustav Cramer ‘Sphere’ (2014)

'Sphere' is an iron ball which was buried in the ground in Merrion Square park. In his satellite exhibition ‘The Return’ at the Goethe-Institut, a framed text described the sphere and indicated its position in the park.

Eva Rothschild ‘Someone and Someone’ (2008)

'Someone and Someone' is an aluminium archway (450 x 400 cm) adorned with brightly coloured stripes of enamel paint, creating an optical effect between the artwork and the landscape. The circular form of ‘Good Times (Hackney)’ (2014) further extended this dialogue, as a complimentary piece in her satellite exhibition at the ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art, The National Gallery (17th- 30th July).

Rosa Abbott ‘Park Life: Vestibule Exhibition Merrion Square’, Totally Dublin, 15th May 2014

http://totallydublin.ie/arts-culture/park-life-vestibule-exhibition-merrion-square/

Aidan Dunne ‘Conceptual Art: A Walk in the Park’, The Irish Times, 7th June 2014 http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/conceptual-art-a-walk-in-the-park-1.1823330

Historical information relating to Merrion square can be found here:

http://merrionsquare.ie/index.php/about-the-square/

Archival documentation can be found here:

http://vestibuleprojects.tumblr.com/

http://merrionsquare.ie/index.php/vestibule-on-the-square-a-summer-of-sculpture-at-merrion-square/

Aleana Egan was born in Dublin in 1979, where she currently still lives and works. Her art practice is ‘predominantly intuitive and subjective; she uses simple materials, assembled or barely transformed, to create enigmatic works that have a restrained tone and structure’. Recent solo exhibitions include Douglas Hyde Gallery (2012), Mole Vanvitelliana, Ancona (2010), Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin and Art Basel Statements (2009) and Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland (2008). Recent group exhibitions include The Drawing Room, London (2013), Sculpture Center, New York (2010), 5th Berlin Biennale, Berlin and Kunsthalle zu Kiel (2008).

http://www.kerlingallery.com/artists/aleana-egan/selected-exhibitions

Daniel Gustav Cramer was born in Neuss, Germany in 1975, and is currently living and working between Berlin and London. Since receiving his MA in Photography from the Royal College of Art in 2003, he has been selected for Bloomberg New Contemporaries, The Hodge Photographic Award, the Jerwood Photography Award, and has shown his work in several other notable group exhibitions. Most recently, he had solo shows of this work at both the Domobaal Gallery (London) and the Goethe Institute (London).

http://www.danielgustavcramer.com/info.html

http://www.sieshoeke.com/artists/daniel-gustav-cramer/biography

Eva Rothschild

The Irish artist Eva Rothschild was born in Dublin 1971, and currently lives and works in London. She completed a B.A in Fine Art at the University of Ulster in 1993 and M.A in Fine Art at Goldsmith’s College in 1999. Rothschild has been described as ‘one of the most important protagonists of a generation of artists dealing with the expanded concept of sculpture’.

http://www.hughlane.ie/past/1050-eva-rothschild

Details of her previous Irish and international exhibitions can be viewed here:

http://www.modernart.net/read.html?id=1,3,23,269

Music events, children’s workshops and walking tours formed part of the wider programme, and a publication was also produced.

Aoife Tunney – Artistic Director & Curator

Rhona Byrne, David Beattie and Kevin Kirwan – Contemporary art workshop facilitators

Donal Maguire - Administrator, ESB Centre for the Study of Irish Art

Leah Benson - Archivist, Library and Research Services at National Gallery