Raising a cup to history

A third sculpture has been unveiled in Cork city as part of an exciting new project designed to bring art to life on Leeside.

Artist Fiona Mulholland’s 3D sculpture Face Cup is a celebration of Ireland’s rich prehistoric heritage and sits on the facade of the historic Exchange Building on the corner of Princes Street and Oliver Plunkett Street.

It is part of Island City, Cork's Urban Sculpture Trail, a unique cultural trail of five contemporary sculptures that are being installed around Cork this year to encourage locals and visitors to explore new areas of the city.

The first two sculptures, Sentinels on Carey’s Lane and Boom Nouveau on Cook Street were installed during the summer.

Linking the past to the present, Fiona’s artwork of large-scale sculptural reliefs is based on a collection of Bronze Age ceramic artefacts. These include a small clay cup decorated with eyes, nose, ears and feet, another pottery vessel with ears, and a spoon dating approximately 3,800 years old.

The artwork is made of Styrofoam and fibreglass and is painted gold as a nod to the Bronze Age.

The original artefacts were excavated by archaeologists working on the site of the N8/N73 Mitchelstown Relief Road in 2004, who have assisted Fiona with ensuring accuracy for the project.

“The Exchange Building is such a unique canvas to work on,” said Fiona.

“The three tiers of coursing along the facade reminded me of an Irish dresser and I wanted to pay testament to the rich history of home and hospitality in the building and the surrounding area.

“I wanted to bring history to life and create a museum for an outdoor space,” she added.

Fiona was inspired by the archaeological discoveries in Mitchelstown which she said reminded her of the casual exchanges that are had over a cup of tea.

She continued: “It was challenging to create a 3D sculpture on the side of a building but I had great support from the archaeologists who made the discovery and some talented craftspeople.

“I hope that this stops people and they ask what it is. Hopefully they will see it as a nod to the city’s history but with some humour!” she added.

Commenting on the new installation, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, said: "The Exchange Building is a significant historic building that informs an important part of our city centre’s character and streetscape.”

Island City, Cork’s Urban Sculpture Trail is a Cork City Council project funded by Fáilte Ireland under the Urban Animation Scheme, with commissioning support by National Sculpture Factory. To learn more visit corkcity.ie/islandcity.