Artists lift the lid on Cork treasure trove at Fota House

Containers, boxes, trunks and suitcases have opened up ideas for a summer display with a difference, writes Eve Kelliher

Artists Jaki Coffey, left, and Danny McCarthy, right, examining containers and boxes in the collection.

From well-worn vintage travel trunks to Kafkaesque containers and from ornate old-school organisers to beat-up baskets, the suitcases and storage receptacles found within a historic East Cork residence show all the signs of journeys taken and lives lived.

Fota House is home to almost 4000 items, including boxes of all descriptions. 

These were intended for “a wide variety of uses: travelling, leisure, domestic, decorative, medical and legal”, according to museum standards and property coordinator Martina Madden.

Toting all this luggage with them as they zigzag back and forth across the centuries, local creatives offer us a golden ticket to embark on an imaginative journey with them this summer.

It started when 25 artists from across East Cork and West Waterford were invited to delve into almost 100 containers in the library of the regency mansion. “The visual impact of these items on display in the rooms is wonderful and creates a lived-in, comfortable ambience throughout the house,” says Martina.

“This collection of boxes is relevant to all aspects of historic house living, family adventure, daily life, staff and servants’ contributions.”

A picnic hamper and set, cracker box, and writing box feature among the collection of containers.

From elaborate and “extra” to beautifully basic, each canister, crate and case represented a sample of the items found in the house across as many categories as possible. 

The project granted the participants, all members of Mór Artists Collective, exclusive access for research and inspiration.

The result is an exhibition, within/without, showing us how the artists responded in diverse media, including paintings, written work, collage, sound installation and more to the forms, textures and histories of the artefacts. 

Sinead Ní Chionaola, Janet Turra and Muireann Nic Caba.

The display, which opened on Tuesday and continues until June 22, gives a peek at the reality of life in a house like Fota, according to Jessica Bonenfant, creative director of Greywood Arts, Killeagh, which facilitates Mór Artists Collective. 

Martina adds: “Through within/without, the second year of this inspirational collaboration with Mór Artists Collective, we are excited to see how this aspect of the collection is interpreted.

“The success of last year’s exhibition brought about the idea to make the project annual, focusing on different strands of the Fota House collection. 

"It offers Mór Artists Collective members a rare opportunity to respond to an extraordinary archive through a platform that invites new audiences to experience the museum collection in unexpected ways.”

A paintbox from Fota House.

The 59-strong Mór Artists Collective is an artist-led membership organisation for artists living and working professionally in the visual, performing, and literary arts in rural East Cork and West Waterford. 

“Mór Artists Collective works to raise the profiles of member artists in our community, and more broadly to heighten awareness of the quality and diversity of the talented artists that live, work and teach in our region,” adds Jessica.

Some of the boxes and containers from the Fota House Collection.

The exhibition within/without runs at Fota House until June 22, 11am-3pm. Admission to the exhibition is free, parking is €3 per visit, and funds are used for the care and development of Fota House.

See Fotahouse or Morartistscollective.com.