Jam Sutton is a British artist exploring the space between technology and antiquity. Utilising 3d scanning, augmented reality, 3d printing and AI, Jam creates sculptures exploring identity and representations of the body in the digital age.
The Office of Public Works commissioned Jam Sutton, a multi-disciplined British artist, to produce a large 3D printed version of his sculpture ‘David and Goliath’ which featured in the ‘On a Pedestal’ exhibition in Dublin Castle.
The original piece ‘David and Goliath’ which Jam produced in 2015 was made from Carrara marble, 45 x 23 x 26cm.
The exhibition of classical busts in Dublin Castle brought together works from an international group of contemporary artists who explored the genre of the portrait bust in a variety of media: from wood to stone, from marble to ceramics, from stainless steel to more ephemeral materials such as sugar.
The gardens, where this sculpture is now on display[August 2022] are situated immediately south of the Chapel Royal and the State Apartments within an enclosing stone wall. The gardens are entered through wrought-iron gates of Celtic-inspired spirals.
Beyond a ‘four seasons’ garden lie four smaller gardens, one at each corner of the site. All contain specially commissioned works of sculpture. Three of these have since been designated as memorial gardens. One is dedicated to the memory of investigative journalist Veronica Guerin. Another contains a bronze sculpture commemorating the Special Olympics held in Ireland in 2003, with the names of the 30,000 volunteers who contributed to the games inscribed on plaques.
The third and largest of these corner gardens is the sheltered Garda Memorial Garden, redesigned and completed in 2009. In this garden the names of all members of the Gardaí (Irish Police) killed in the line of duty are inscribed on a roll of honour. Several sculptural works are also incorporated into the layout. These works and the overall design of the garden are intended to reflect how the premature deaths of loved ones leave a trace or imprint, like ripples in a pool, on the lives of those left behind.
At the heart of the gardens is the grassy sward of the Dubh Linn Garden, where patterns representing sea serpents are cut into the lawn. This lawn is on or near the site of the original dubh linn or ‘black pool’, where the Vikings harboured their ships and set up a trading base. It was this pool that gave its name to the city: Dublin.
The Castle Gardens are immensely popular with visitors and the citizens of Dublin alike. On sunny summer days the gardens are crowded with people enjoying the beautiful surroundings of this special place.
