THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE VERY MUCH EXPERIMENTAL
The city terminus for the 26 bus route is at one of the entrances to Merrion Square Park where this sculpture. I mention the 26 bus route as using it allowed me to visit and explore Phoenix Park, Chapelizof, Palmerstown Village and more recently Waterstown Park. Also the service is reliable and frequent.
These images are very much experimental because this sculpture is close to impossible to photograph because it blends in with the background.
The good news is that I saw some sketching this sculpture when I visited Merrion Square today [5 May 2024]
The Artist: Dame Elisabeth Frink, a renowned British sculptor known for her powerful, semi-abstract figures of humans, animals, and birds.
The Commission: Frink initially created multiple versions of the "Tribute Head", not specifically for Mandela. Amnesty International later acquired one after Dublin offered to host a work of art honouring Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment.
Unveiling: The statue was unveiled in Merrion Square on June 26th, 1983. This event included a poetry reading by Seamus Heaney and a performance by The Chieftains.
Relocation: While the statue hasn't moved significantly within the park, it has suffered from lack of visibility due to encroaching vegetation in the past.
The Overlooked Gem: There are a couple of possible reasons why the Tribute Head isn't as prominent as other Dublin sculptures:
Awareness: Its original dedication to Mandela might not be common knowledge anymore. Many may see it as just another abstract sculpture.
Style: Frink's work, while respected, can be stark and less immediately accessible compared to figurative sculptures like that of Oscar Wilde in the same park.
More About Elisabeth Frink's Tribute Head
Frink described her Tribute Head sculptures as tributes to "all people who have died or suffered for their beliefs. These men are heroes in the sense that they are survivors, but they are also victims stripped of everything but their human courage." This makes the choice of the sculpture to honour Nelson Mandela incredibly fitting.
These images are very much experimental because this sculpture is close to impossible to photograph because it blends in with the background.
The good news is that I saw some sketching this sculpture when I visited Merrion Square today [5 May 2024]
The Artist: Dame Elisabeth Frink, a renowned British sculptor known for her powerful, semi-abstract figures of humans, animals, and birds.
The Commission: Frink initially created multiple versions of the "Tribute Head", not specifically for Mandela. Amnesty International later acquired one after Dublin offered to host a work of art honouring Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment.
Unveiling: The statue was unveiled in Merrion Square on June 26th, 1983. This event included a poetry reading by Seamus Heaney and a performance by The Chieftains.
Relocation: While the statue hasn't moved significantly within the park, it has suffered from lack of visibility due to encroaching vegetation in the past.
The Overlooked Gem: There are a couple of possible reasons why the Tribute Head isn't as prominent as other Dublin sculptures:
Awareness: Its original dedication to Mandela might not be common knowledge anymore. Many may see it as just another abstract sculpture.
Style: Frink's work, while respected, can be stark and less immediately accessible compared to figurative sculptures like that of Oscar Wilde in the same park.
More About Elisabeth Frink's Tribute Head
Frink described her Tribute Head sculptures as tributes to "all people who have died or suffered for their beliefs. These men are heroes in the sense that they are survivors, but they are also victims stripped of everything but their human courage." This makes the choice of the sculpture to honour Nelson Mandela incredibly fitting.
THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE VERY MUCH EXPERIMENTAL