Raffaele Muraca: From Milan to the Marina in Cork with an impressive mural
A cyclist passes the mural by Raffaele Muraca on the Marina in Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins
If you find it difficult to work with someone looking over your shoulder or ongoing distractions then you'll have some sympathy for Raffaele Muraca. His most recent 'studio' had regular visits from joggers, dog walkers, cyclists, children, and skaters. And there was no need for a dramatic pulling back of a red velvet curtain to reveal his finished work — it's been on show throughout its creation.
Muraca is the artist who painted the wrap-around mural on the 'hut' on Cork's Marina. His work name is sillyme_arts and he won Cork City Counci's €9,000 tender for the art project on the 'hut' or pavilion on the river side of the restored walkway near the Atlantic Pond.
Muraca, from Italy, has been living here for the past 12 years so he was already familiar with the area and the popularity of the Marina and the Lee itself.
However, once he started researching more for the commission he was delighted to discover plenty artistic and Italian links too: "I'm from Milan and my grandfather is from Sicily so I wanted to incorporate elements of both."
Much of the land between City Hall and Blackrock Castle on the Lee's south bank is reclaimed slobland which was dredged to allow larger ships get to the city quay. In the 19th century the dredged up mud and compacted silt was deposited behind a large Navigation Wall and eventually formed the Marina. Gaelic poet and scholar, Donncha Ó Floinn proposed that the promenade be called 'The Marina' as this was the name given to reclaimed land near Palermo in Sicily.
In July 1872, Cork Corporation formally adopted 'The Marina' as the new promenade's name.
The Italian connection continues as the Marina has extensive views of Tivoli and Montenotte. Cork's Tivoli got its name from Tivoli House, an estate built in the late 1700s which was named after Tivoli near Rome. And Montenotte was named after the late 18th century Napoleonic battle, the Battle of Montenotte which took place in Northern Italy.
Muraca's brief included "celebrating the rich local heritage of this location, focusing on the beauty of this revitalised much-loved natural amenity area, and the diversity of plant and animal life". It also had to focus on "riverside activities and on Cork as a 'City of Welcomes' for all". This translates to a vibrantly bright vignette featuring rowers, a heron, cyclists, dog walkers and wild flowers. The river side of the hut includes images of gulls, fish and a seal.
There are some details too which might not be spotted at first glance or unless you get up close to the mural: "I included local plants of course but I also included some red and yellow ceramic tiles shaped like lemon leaves as a little piece of Italy."
Muraca doesn't have an expertise in porcelain-making so he drafted in Cork artist Rebecca Bradley Young to craft the leaves which give a tactile 3-d element to the work. "I wanted to have a local community involvement and also there's a Palermo connection as there is a long tradition of porcelain from Sicily."
Outdoors work in the fresh air with a river view — an ideal 'office'? Not exactly. "I started the work on November 8 and it has been raining a lot. Some of the paint work is initially emulsion so I had to go back and re-do some that was washed off. And when it's not raining it has been very cold: "Of course some of my work was with spray paint so the cans are pressurised and are even colder so I had to stop work and warm up my hands but that's all part of the job I had and it has been great."
Speaking of spray paint, there is a large radiant-looking sunshine at the centre of the mural which may well have created a much-needed illusion of warmth — but is there also a danger that it could have the lure of a 'blank canvas' to aspiring street or graffiti artists or taggers?
"The work is all coated with a special anti-graffiti varnish that protects from the elements too. This is a very expensive paint — costing nearly as much all the other paint — but I felt it was very important," notes Muraca.
As a street artist he is keen to see other upcoming artists get creative opportunities too and praises the hoardings and 'blank space' given to their work across the city and at Fitzgerald Park. However, he emphasises that it has to be in the appropriate places and has to not be done illegally.
And he points out that if people want to feel more involved with this work then they'll have their chance from mid January. A special AR [augmented reality] element is currently being prepared by Bepart (@be.part) who will install a small plaque inviting viewers to follow the link to see the mural 'come to life' — "the water will ripple, the rowers and cyclists will move".
Muraca says he has only had positive feedback from everyone who watched his mural take shape and is excited to see even more engagement with it when the AR aspect is ready next month.
The Instagram accounts of the artists mentioned are:
- Raffaele Muraca @sillyme_arts;
- Rebecca Bradley Young @youngz_art;
- Bepart @be.part
