Exquisite Cork

Exquisite Cork (2023)
Water-based acrylic and spraypaint
Dimensions: 5m x 42m

This mural was a three way collaboration with two close friends and artists: Cian Walker and Tony Byrne for Ardu Mural Festival, Cork. The piece derives it’s title from the childhood game of Exquisite Corpse and can be seen as a celebration of Cork City.

The following writing from Cian Walker explains the concept behind the work:
When we first met to discuss potential ideas for this mural, we found that each of us had been exploring similar ideas, a positive sign from the get-go. We had a fruitful meeting wherein we discussed ideas of industry, geography, and the ever-changing facets of Cork as a city. Given its significant history as a thriving port city, we wanted to create a work that alludes to the River Lee, its movement and its importance to the trade of Cork, and Ireland as a whole. Utilising earthy tones offset by more vivid and vibrant colours we feel that the piece pays homage to the history of the county and its energy in moving forward as a city of cosmopolitan modernity. Hard-edged geometric shapes make reference to the urban elements of Cork City, in combination with more organic forms that suggest links to the sediment of the river and the more rural areas of the county. There are visual cues hidden within the composition, abstractions on the logos of Dunlop and Ford, for example, the water from the image on the county flag, alongside less oblique references such as the use of Cork marble in the piece, our aim was to create an exciting, stimulating mural that allows viewers to appreciate on a purely aesthetic level but also one that offers nuggets of reference and inspiration for those who wish to explore more deeply.

Curation and production: Ardu   Funding: Cork County Council