Once a Fountain

While exploring Dublin and its history, I came across a secret — and decided to turn it into an artwork. At the crossroads of Gray Street and Reginald Street stands a small shrine with red pillars, instantly catching the eye. Before it hosted a statue of Christ, it was built as a drinking fountain for the people of the neighbourhood.

Erected at the end of the 19th century, the fountain has undergone many transformations over time. It witnessed the War of Independence in 1919, then received the statue of the Sacred Heart in 1929 to mark the centenary of Catholic Emancipation. In 1978, a truck accident destroyed the original canopy, later replaced by a new copper dome for the Pope’s visit to Ireland in 1979. Finally, it was repainted around 2010.

In this work, I wanted to bring together the successive layers of this small monument — a shrine that has changed in form, function, and meaning, yet remains, fragile and steadfast, in the heart of The Liberties.

 

 

 











 
Care Instructions
Paper artworks are sensitive to light and humidity. For optimal conservation, avoid direct sunlight, sources of heat, and sudden changes in temperature or moisture.

 
Behind the Scences