NICHE BY ORLA DE BRI
NICHE BY ORLA DE BRI [LIMERICK UNIVERSITY CAMPUS]
Discovering 'Niche': A Photographic Journey
The Sculpture: 'Niche'
Commissioned for the campus of the University of Limerick, 'Niche' is a striking sculpture by Orla de Brí. Standing 8 meters tall, the piece is composed of a polished bronze figure adorned with branches, which rests atop a pillar of Corten Steel.
The Artist: Orla de Brí
Orla de Brí is a prominent Irish sculptor with a studio in County Meath. Working primarily with bronze, steel, and fibreglass, her art spans both gallery exhibitions and large-scale public commissions.
De Brí has a significant international portfolio, including seven solo shows and 27 site-specific public sculptures installed across Ireland, London, and Istanbul. Her work is also featured in many significant private collections.
📸 The Photographer's Story & Equipment
My own journey to identify and capture this sculpture has spanned several years and various pieces of equipment.
2025 Visit: My most recent attempt to photograph the sculpture was made in July. I used a Fuji GFX100RF, but unfortunately, the results were disappointing due to poor weather conditions.
2021 Visit: It wasn't until a return visit in 2021 that I finally solved the mystery. Using a Sony A7RIV with a Voigtlander 40mm lens, I took new photos and later used a reverse image search to identify the artist as Orla de Brí.
2018 Visit: At the time, I mistakenly believed the sculpture was titled "The Diver" and couldn't find any information about it. For this shoot, I used a Sony A7RIII with a Sony FE 24-70mm lens, which I found to be the best combination for capturing the piece. I assume that my current A1 Mk2 would be much better as would the GFX100RF under the right conditions.
I am now in the process of compiling and publishing the photographs from my 2018, 2021, and 2025 visits.
Discovering 'Niche': A Photographic Journey
The Sculpture: 'Niche'
Commissioned for the campus of the University of Limerick, 'Niche' is a striking sculpture by Orla de Brí. Standing 8 meters tall, the piece is composed of a polished bronze figure adorned with branches, which rests atop a pillar of Corten Steel.
The Artist: Orla de Brí
Orla de Brí is a prominent Irish sculptor with a studio in County Meath. Working primarily with bronze, steel, and fibreglass, her art spans both gallery exhibitions and large-scale public commissions.
De Brí has a significant international portfolio, including seven solo shows and 27 site-specific public sculptures installed across Ireland, London, and Istanbul. Her work is also featured in many significant private collections.
📸 The Photographer's Story & Equipment
My own journey to identify and capture this sculpture has spanned several years and various pieces of equipment.
2025 Visit: My most recent attempt to photograph the sculpture was made in July. I used a Fuji GFX100RF, but unfortunately, the results were disappointing due to poor weather conditions.
2021 Visit: It wasn't until a return visit in 2021 that I finally solved the mystery. Using a Sony A7RIV with a Voigtlander 40mm lens, I took new photos and later used a reverse image search to identify the artist as Orla de Brí.
2018 Visit: At the time, I mistakenly believed the sculpture was titled "The Diver" and couldn't find any information about it. For this shoot, I used a Sony A7RIII with a Sony FE 24-70mm lens, which I found to be the best combination for capturing the piece. I assume that my current A1 Mk2 would be much better as would the GFX100RF under the right conditions.
I am now in the process of compiling and publishing the photographs from my 2018, 2021, and 2025 visits.