Vistors at the Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
Open House Dublin, held annually in October, is Ireland's largest Architectural festival, running annually, part of the Architectural Festival Family worldwide which includes Chicago, London, Lisbon, Helsinki and Dublin. Last October, I volunteered in the North Georgian Quarter of Dublin and I wrote about my experiences here.
Overall participating in this weekend has been a rewarding experience. Over the three days, 100 buildings of historical, social and architectural interest open their doors to the public. This festival facilitates special tours by hundreds of professionals and enthusiasts to interested members of the public. Being a volunteer you get the opportunity to experience these special buildings, share them with the public and meet other interesting volunteers besides.
Rathmines Library
Top: Rathmines library celebrates its centenary this year
Middle: Morris & Co. 1913 stained glass window, with an allegory for literature.
Bottom: View of Rathmines towards Portobello from a library window.
On Saturday, I was based in Rathmines Library. This public library is the second busiest in Ireland, and was full of life all afternoon. It was cheering to see all the young families and various members of the community come through the doors. The stained glass window to the front of the building, was commissioned from William Morris & Co. in 1913, the simplicity of design is certainly in the Morris style. A classical figure is seated in the centre, as an allegory for literature. Rathmines Library is one of libraries funded by the Scottish-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie's fortune is a true rags to riches story, coming from his successful steel business in the USA. Upon the sale of his business for $480m, he dedicated the rest of his life to philanthropic activities. He built the famous Carnegie Hall, and funded the establishment of public 'Carnegie libraries' throughout the English speaking world.
By great coincidence, or not, when I ventured out to Dun Laoghaire on Sunday, I discovered they too had a Carnegie Library!
Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Dun Laoghaire
Top: Entrance to the Oratory of the Sacred Heart (c. 1919)
Middle: Mural detail of a Celtic figure
Bottom: Painted mural commemorating the 1932 Eucharistic Congress, which had taken place in Dublin
The journey from Dublin city centre takes about 50 minutes on a 46a bus, or 20 minutes on the DART. I was tied for time, as I had to get the last train back to Sligo on Sunday, but it was a beautiful mild afternoon, so I didn't mind the journey or the destination at all!
Sister Concepta Lynch (1874 - 1939, born Lily Lynch) learnt the Lynch Method of Celtic Art from her father, Thomas Joseph Lynch, a renowned Dublin artist who specialised in Celtic illuminations. After her father's death when she was 16, she ran his studio on Grafton street for a further six years, until taking her vows and becoming a nun in the enclosed order at the Dominican convent, Dun Laoghaire.
At the end of World War I, a town in Northern France donated a statue of the Sacred Heart to the parish of Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) to commemorate the many local Irishmen who had fought and died in Flanders during World War One. In response, in 1919, an oratory was commissioned by the Dominican sisters. Upon its completion, Sr Concepta was asked to decorate the altar, after witnessing the style in which she had executed it, her Mother Superior asked her to decorate the entire oratory, and she did so in the Celtic Revival style she had learnt from her father. She worked on the oratory for sixteen years (1920-1936), only giving up when she was in ill health towards the end of her life. As you can see from the pictures its not your conventional war/peace memorial!
Top: The sacred heart statue was brought over from France after WWI, see the Harry Clarke & Co. stained glass in the background
Middle: The ceiling remains unfinished, after Lynch's death in 1939, Harry Clarke & Co. stained glass in the background
Bottom: The Harry Clarke & Co. stained glass was commissioned by Lynch, she had it inscribed with the names of family members who had helped fund and inspire her work in the oratory
The design of the oratory takes its inspiration from Celtic manuscripts, including the Book of Kells, as well as Byzantine methods of decoration. Celtic illuminations are notable for their zoomorphic designs (designs taking animal forms), figures, wonderfully curved designs and repeating patterns. This all encompassing design took Lynch sixteen years to complete between (1920-36), she became ill and couldn't complete the ceiling of the oratory. However, this does not detract from the design, as you can clearly see her design process, where she sketched out the designs in graphite pencil, using templates for repeating designs. Unbelievably the oratory is painted totally in household paint. As she was in an enclosed order she could not purchase the paints herself from a specialist art shop, so she would send her students with a list of her desired colours to the local shop to buy paints.
It is a shame that Lynch isn't more recognised in the Irish art canon. This is possibly due to a number of inter-related factors, significantly, she was in an enclosed order so she was not part of the artistic social scene in Dublin. The oratory itself was in a fixed location on the grounds of a convent in a coastal village outside Dublin, so its not like her life's work could be exhibited to the greater public.
The modern building, or 'shell' that now surrounds the oratory was constructed in the 1990s in order to protect the small oratory. The entrance area has this beautiful mosaic set in the centre, by the artist Laura O'Hagan, who designed it in response to the Celtic Revival decoration of the oratory.
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I apologise for the quality of my photos, it wasn't until I was on a train bound for Dublin that I realised I had forgotten my camera! Its difficult to source photos of the Oratory online, but I found some high resolution pictures of the oratory here on the Militaria Archive.
Rathmines library celebrates their cententary this year, and are hosting a number of fascinating (and free!) talks and events throughout October and November. View the full series of events on their site here.
Read more:
'The Gospel of Wealth' by Andrew Carnegie
Sister Concepta Lynch and the Lynch method of Celtic Art 1874 - 1939
View more high resolution pictures of the oratory here on the Militaria Archive
The other volunteers and I outside Number 11 (No. 11 facebook page)
I'd only returned from Venice when my friend Sarah reminded that Open House Dublin was taking place October 5th to 7th. I had hoped to get involved, but I wasn't sure if I'd be here for it or not. So with a couple of days to spare, I asked to volunteer. I was placed on Government Buildings (Upper Merrion St) on Saturday, and in the North Georgian Quarter (North Great George's Street) on the Sunday.
This was the seventh year of Open House Dublin, and each year more buildings open their doors. Open House is Ireland's largest Architectural festival, running annually, part of the Architectural Festival Family worldwide which includes Chicago, London, Lisbon, Helsinki and Dublin. Institutions and houses with a remarkable architectural history open their doors to the public for the weekend, with guided tours led by the owners or professionals who volunteer their time for the weekend. It's a rare chance to see inside some of these buildings, many of which are private residences.
Number 11 North Great George's Street (centre)
On the Sunday, I was thrilled to be placed in the North Georgian Quarter of the city. This handsome street of houses was mostly built in the mid to late eighteenth century, and was once the most affluent area of the city, until fashionable society moved to the south of the city (beyond the River Liffey).
Piano nobile floor of No. 11
18th century Murano glass chandelier
The dolls are only a fifth of the collection of one of the owners' aunts, they make for a quirky decorative feature in the main entertaining room
18th century stucco work by Robert West, painstakingly restored by the owners. At the time of restoration (20+ years ago) there existed no expertise for restoring stuccowork, so they set up workshops in the basement and completed it themselves.
One of the many wonderful features of this house is the amount of objects that have been salvaged, from skips in the 1980s, when these things were of little value in a period of rapid modernisation. The houses themselves would have been in a djsregarded throughout the twentieth century, until people started buying and restoring these houses from the 1970s onward. These objects on the wall chronicle a history of a changed Dublin.
The fanlight above the door would originally have been on the front door of a Georgian building, this too was rescued from a skip.
Original working lock and key, these houses would largely have been used as tenements in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, housing dozens of families, so its incredible that these survive in this condition.
Back window looking out onto the stunning garden
Graffiti dating from 1774, you can make out a crudely inscribed name "Cormac", the name and hand suggest this person was educated in a hedge school. The other name is written in script, suggesting a higher level of education attained by this person. The owners didn't discover the graffiti until they had removed the old wallpaper and actually painted over it.
The owners mostly live on the second floor, and in the converted attic. This is their private dining room. The graffiti is located near the door, to the left.
View of North Great Georges Street
The house's interior, possesses an eccentric Victorian influence. In their day, when furniture, carpets and fittings would have been extortionately expensive in the years before the industrial revolution, house decoration was far more austere and in the best possible 'taste'. As John, the owner, said, our view of these houses and their real functions is affected by Downton Abbey, which is a fallacy.
The theme of this year's festival was "Architecture Alive!", and from my experience, these buildings did come alive with the enthusiasm of their owners, you felt like a privileged guest. With my pictures, I hope to capture the eclecticism of the house, it truly feels like a home, adorned with objects the owners have carefully collected over the years, making their home comfortable and enabling the house to continue its life.
The house is available to hire for private functions, weddings and photoshoots, they have a website at Number 11 Dublin.
Read more:
Open House Dublin
North Great George's Street: An Architectural History
Hedge Schools
11 Heaven/North Great George's Street
Chapel interior, barrel vaulted roof. (Source)
I went to Padua on my day off a couple of weeks ago, with the principal intention of going to the Scrovegni Chapel, and seeing the first anatomical theatre in the world, at the University of Padua. I'd hoped to come across some fabulous shoes while I was there, at less than "Venetian prices", but alas, that part of the plan didn't work out.
Understandably, you weren't permitted to take photographs in either of these places. This is certainly justified in the case of the Scrovegni Chapel, as besides the conservatory concerns, trying to convey the awe that Giotto's frescoes inspire in one, once in the chapel, this would be fruitless. My opinion on this also applies to taking photographs of paintings, a pathetic reproduction of a painting you've seen, taken without skill or the proper lighting conditions or permission, to be uploaded without thought to a facebook album, is really lame, and incredibly frustrating for galleries, I imagine. The artist would be spinning in their grave I reckon.
Interior. (Source)
Detail from the Last Judgement fresco: Enrico Scrovegni himself is included in one of the frescoes, depicted as presenting the Arena Chapel as an offering, dressed in violet, the colour of sin. (Source).
Giotto, the Crucifixion. (Source)
Scrovegni Chapel
The Scrovegni Chapel, (or Cappella degli Scrovegni, also known as the Arena Chapel) contains a fresco cycle by Giotto, completed about 1305, that is one of the most important masterpieces of Western art. For those of you who studied art history at a secondary school and perhaps university level, will most likely recognise Giotto's work.
The chapel was commissioned by Enrico Scrovegni, whose family fortune was made through banking, the question is whether or not Enrico himself was involved in usurious practices and if the chapel was intended as restitution for his own sins. It is suggested that Giotto's frescoes in the chapel reflect these concerns with usury and penitence. Apart from Giotto's paintings, the chapel is unornamented and features a barrel vault roof. Giotto's Last Judgment covers the entire wall above the chapel's entrance and includes the aforementioned devotional portrait of Enrico.
Truthfully, I wasn't expecting the chapel to be so large. I had only previously seen the interior in textbooks. The brilliant cobalt blue of the ceiling is one of the most striking things about the interior. The frescos themselves are so rich in detail, that at times it felt overwhelming, so you really had to scan everything and perhaps focus your attention on a few selected ones.
I felt so privleged, to be standing there, to be looking at frescoes that were over 700 years old. The conservation of the chapel began at the end of the nineteenth century, but only entered into its most intensive phase within the past 20 years. You are only permitted within the chapel for 15 minutes, as the climate within the chapel is controlled, to prevent further deterioration of the sensitive wall surface.
All in all, it is an absolute must on any trip to Padua. My ticket, purchased online in advance was €3.50 each way. So even if you are only in Venice for a short period of time, you probably could pop over for the afternoon. Tickets must for the chapel must be purchased in advance, and you are expected to turn up 10-15 minutes before you are admitted entry to the chapel.
Anatomical Theatre, University of Padova
Anatomical Theatre, University of Padova. Where anatomy students (capacity 350 people) stood and learned from direct observation of the opened body on the table beneath the centre of the gallery. (Source)
As an undergrad I undertook a module 'Art and Death', taught by the brilliant Dr. Philip Cottrell at UCD, ever since then I've been fascinated by anatomical drawings and the macarbe and the gruesome in art. We learnt about the gifted anatomist and physician Andreas Vesalius, author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, De humani corporis fabrica (1543) (On the Structure of the Human Body) and his role as chair of Surgery and Anatomy at Padua (1537-43).
The University of Padua was founded in 1222, making it one of the oldest universities in the world, and the second oldest in Italy, after Bologna. The Anatomical Theatre at Padua (in Palazzo Bo) is one of the first of its kind in the world (1594). It is arranged in an amphitheatrical shape, where the dissection of the body would take place in the centre. The dissection of human cadavers was illegal at this time, and I suppose you could say that there was an theatrical element in the performance of dissection by the anatomist.
Andreas Vesalius
The city of Padua itself is a mixture of the old and new, it felt strange being on land again and dodging cars while dashing across the street. We went for a ramble around, and discovered we had gone on a total roundabout way around the city (we didn't have a map) when actually the distance between the Scrovegni Chapel and Palazzo Bo is no more than a 5-10 minute walk. Beware of asking an Italian for directions because the answer is usually "Straight ahead!".
Shopping
Looking very excited at the prospect of eating chocolate and pistachio ice-cream from GROM
There is a big square where they hold a large market on Saturdays. I stopped off to get my gelato fix at GROM, where they serve artisan, organic gelato. I opted for a favourite mix of mine, pistachio and dark chocolate. Compared to the pistachio flavours I had, it tasted almost savoury, when combined with the dark chocolate it did make for an interesting flavour. It was €3 for a cone with 2 scoops, which is a little more than I've paid so far, but it was organic (biologica). Many of their flavours are gluten free and therefore coeliac friendly.
Finn & I at the Disney store, and I did buy that towel (on sale)
Thinking ahead for the weather back home obviously
We stopped into a few shops, hoping to find some lovely Italian shoes, although it wasn't my principal reason for coming there, i was disappointed by the shopping there. They had the generic high street shops such as H&M and Zara, as well as some boutiques, and the department store Coin, but I was after something more genuinely Italian. Suddenly I found myself buying a pair of orange flared cords in Benetton, but more on that another time!
It is a lovely city to go for a walk around, particularly the older part, as no cars are permitted. There are lovely churches, and plenty of shady arches to walk under. The train station is a little more exposed, and I've been told that its dangerous to be alone there at night. Overall, my trip to Padua was a success. Next time, if there is one, I'd like to see the Basilica of St. Anthony, his tongue and jaw are on display there, how gruesome!
Read more:
Giotto and the Arena Chapel
Official Website of the Scrovegni Chapel
(All photos in this post were taken by the charming Finn MacLeod)
Once my friends learnt I was going to be living in Venice for five weeks after inital expressions of envy, they asked what exactly it was I was going to be doing here. It wasn't going to be all play.
The British Pavilion (Source)
I am working as a Steward at the British Pavilion, for the first month of the three month long Venice Architectural Biennale. I grabbed the chance to escape from the gloom of mulling over my employment prospects, if only briefly, and viewed it as an opportunity to meet new people, gain some new skills and to add some relevant work experience to my CV. I get a small stipend for the month, so I was able to pay for my rent, food and flights. Paid work experience is a rare thing, so I'm very grateful to be here, working in a warm climate and at an internationally reknowned Biennale.
The Architecture Biennale follows the same framework as the Art Biennale with the national pavilions presenting individual exhibitions in the centre of Venice. The British Council curate and organise an exhibition in the British Pavilion. The Council commissioned architects, designers and engineers to put together exhibitions for the British Pavilion. This year they held an open competition for architects and those working in related fields to submit a proposal that would "change British architecture". Ten projects in total out of 118 submissions were selected, and these ten individuals, or groups, went around the world to "takeaway" ideas that will hopefully contribute to changing British architecture beyond the life of the exhibition.
The 13th International Architecture Exhibition, directed by David Chipperfield and titled Common Ground, is open to the public from 29th August to 25th November 2012.
Source
The theme of the British Pavillion, co-ordinated by the British Council is 'Venice Takeaway'. Venice Takeaway presents the work of ten architectural teams that have travelled the world in search of imaginative responses to universal issues. Venice Takeaway charts their course in Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Russia, Thailand and the USA and demonstrates the creative potential of sharing ideas across borders.
The Vernissage period of the Biennale (the preview period for Press, etc) was the most exhausting part of the work so far. We were on our feet answering questions and taking particular care to ensure that the exhibits were not damaged by the heavy flow of traffic within the Pavilion. We had over 6,000 visitors to our Pavilion over those four days.
Out of the ten exhibits I have a few particular favourites -
Darryl Chen's New [Socialist] Village
Forum for Alternative Belfast: International Bauausstellung Belfast
aberrant architecture: Animating Education: Learning from Rio de Janerio
Ross Anderson and Anna Gibb: Paper Architecture
The days are long, but I've encountered some real characters over the weeks. At the end of the day, there's always a cool glass of prosecco to look forward to.
We update our Stewards at the Venice Takeaway blog frequently too, to keep people up to date, you can find it here.
