Minister unveils art works in Ballymun

Art will play a central part in the regeneration of one of Dublin’s poorest areas, Arts Minister John O'Donoghue pledged today as he unveiled three new sculptures in Ballymun.

The minister said the new artworks in the north Dublin suburb – which is the target of Europe’s biggest housing project – were just the first instalment in a series of commissions over the coming years.

The new pieces are an installation of LED lights by Carbon Walker in the Civic Centre, a patinated bronze sculpture on the Main Street by Andrew Clancy and a groundwork in cast aluminium by Cathy Delaney in the forecourt of the new neighbourhood centre of Poppintree.

Mr O’Donoghue said: “Today, the community of Ballymun gains three new splendid works of art that will enrich the lives of all who live and work here and also play a part in defining the new community that Ballymun is fast becoming.

“Together with the recent launch of ‘Sight Unseen’, a powerful new film work by Grace Weir and Graham Parker, these pieces of art are a striking demonstration of the commitment by the people here to making art a central part of the new Ballymun that they are creating and which is already taking shape around us.

“This collection of works, impressive as they are both individually and collectively, are still only part of a wider picture.

“They form a first instalment on a whole series of forthcoming commissions, which will be carried out in Ballymun over the coming years,” he said.

Mr O’Donoghue said the artworks were part of the ‘Breaking Ground’ art commissioning programme which was launched in 2002 and will run until 2012.

The programme is being funded under the Government’s Per Cent for Art scheme which allows for 1% of public capital project costs to be spent on art work.

He said the aim of ‘Breaking Ground’ was to provide a diverse range of commissions which would establish Ballymun as a place of international standing within the art world.