Waterford artists' works feature in 'Beneath the Layers' exhibition
Ian McDonough, Cork County Council Arts Officer, Danny McCarthy, Mór Founding member, Jessica Bonenfant, Artistic Director Greywood Arts, Cllr Dominic Finn deputising for the mayor, Vicky Tammadge, Mór Coordinator, Margaret Oren, Waterford City & County Council Arts Officer, Martina Madden of Museum Standards & Collections Care Coordinator Fota House.
The work of Waterford artists is featured among the paintings contained in a new exhibition titled, 'Beneath the Layers'.
The exhibition features artists from West Waterford and East Cork and the display is currently ongoing at Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens as a partnership initiative Mór Artists Collective, whose members were invited to respond to one of Ireland’s most unique and notably rich historical resources - the Fota House Wallpaper Collection.
'Beneath the Layers' will remain on display until June 22.
The project offered a rare opportunity to view contemporary responses to an extraordinary collection of 17th to 19th Century wallpaper samples, collected over decades by Irish conservation architect John O’Connell. They were donated to Fota House in 2004.
The collection includes over 275 wallpaper samples sourced from stately homes across Ireland, featuring everything from intricate Chinese wallpapers and leather wall coverings, to delicate tracings and fragments, offering insights into interior styles of past centuries.
The archive was never interpreted in such a manner before. Over 30 of the 48-member collective of artists across East Cork and West Waterford responded in diverse media including painting, written work, collage, sound installation and more.
“The Fota House Wallpaper Collection is a treasure trove of design, craftsmanship, and cultural history,” said Martina Madden, Museum Standards & Property Coordinator at Fota House.
“Through 'Beneath the Layers', we are thrilled to open a new chapter in how this unique archive is experienced, not just as a historical resource, but as a living source of artistic inspiration," she added.
"It’s a privilege to collaborate with Mór Artists Collective and to see contemporary artists bring fresh perspective and meaning to this remarkable collection.”
Jessica Bonenfant, Creative Director of Greywood Arts, Killeagh, who facilitates the Mór Artists Collective, added: “We’re delighted to showcase the incredible breadth of creative talent in East Cork and West Waterford, as can be seen across the number of new works responding to the wallpaper collection. It’s a unique and exciting opportunity to engage with Fota House behind the scenes, bringing contemporary art and historic design together with wild imagination.”
