Ardú street art project finishes up for another year - and you can help keep it going
Renowned Cork-born London-based artist Conor Harrington putting the finishing touches on his new giant mural at Bishop Lucey Park, Cork City, as part of Ardú Street Art Project 2021. Pic: John Beasley
After returning for round two of an ambitious project to bring a diverse array of street art to the people of Cork city at a time when art was locked behind museum doors for many, Ardú Street Art has finished a round of four large-scale murals on Leeside.
Friz’s “Goddess Cliodhna” at St Finbarr’s Road, Shane O’Malley’s colourful intervention on Lower Glanmire Road, and Asbestos’ “What is home?” at South Main Street have provoked thought and conversation, added to a trail from 2020 that includes work from the like of Aches, Maser and more.
The fourth and final piece of the current series is complete - painted by Cork-born, world-renowned artist Conor Harrington at Bishop Lucey Park's Grand Parade entrance.
Based in London since the mid 2000s, Harrington has created street art in New York, Miami, Paris, London, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Aalborg, Mallorca, Sao Paulo, San Juan, and the Bethlehem Wall - but this is Conor’s first large-scale mural in his hometown.
Harrington says, “My favourite part of Cork is the English market. I used to do as much of my shopping as possible there when I lived in Tower Street, before moving to London. And every time I’m home I’m always sure to have a stroll through and soak up some of the atmosphere.
"I’ve used the English Market as a starting point for my mural, the gate of which is opposite my wall. It was built in 1788 and has seen us through famine, boom and bust.
"In my painting, a man sets a table, a composition of fruit and veg in the manner of a lot of still life paintings from the 18th Century, when the English market and much of the Grand Parade and Patrick’s Street was built. The table is overflowing with fruit, an abundance of fresh produce that has been available in the market for years.
"I’ve included a doll’s house on the table to illustrate how Cork is a city built on food and how our culinary scene is one of our greatest assets. I’ve also included a fire extinguisher on the table as a reminder of the Burning of Cork 101 years ago, and that although the market was mostly spared, damage was still done."
Many local businesses in Cork have rallied behind the programme, including Pat McDonnell Paints, who supplied the artists with some of their materials for this year’s programme.
"Here at Pat McDonnell Paints, we are firm believers in how paint can transform the spaces we live in," says Aidan McDonnell.
"We were delighted to support Ardú and their artists bring colour and vibrancy to Cork City. 140 litres of paint tinted in over 22 colours and Conor Harrington's talent and vision have given us a modern day masterpiece in a corner of Bishop Lucey Park."
Commissioning artwork from homegrown talent is the main aim of Ardú, supported by Cork City Council and Creative Ireland, and with paint sponsored by Pat McDonnell Paints and Vibes & Scribes.
To cover total costs for this year's event - paying for the artists' fees, painting materials, maintenance, and such - and to help secure the future of Ardú Street Art Project, the crew have come up with a way to get involved.
You can donate to the project in denominations of €10, €20, €50, or €100, and everyone who donates is entered into a raffle to win a signed photo print of artwork last year's Ardú series, which featured works by artists Maser, Peter Martin, Shane O’Driscoll, Deirdre Breen, Garreth Joyce, Aches and James Earley.
- There will be 5 winners chosen at random and each winner can select an artwork of their choice. The raffle is available to enter online via the project's Bigcartel page: https://arducork.bigcartel.com/
- For more info on the project, and partake in the guided audio tour, go here.
