infomatique

CHAC MOOL BY SEBASTIAN

July 1, 2023 by infomatique

NEAR THE LINCOLN GATE ENTRANCE TO TRINITY COLLEGE

I must admit that I like this … well I like anything that is painted blue. Formally unveiled by Provost Patrick Prendergast and H.E. Ambassador Carlos García de Alba in the presence of the artist on the 18th of September 2015 to mark 40 years of Mexican-Irish Diplomatic Relations

Enrique Carbajal González was born in Chihuahua, Northern Mexico, shortly after the end of the Second World War. The artist adopted the pseudonym ‘Sebastián’ after the painting of the martyred Saint Sebastian by Sandro Botticelli. He is best known for his monumental public sculptures, created using steel or concrete, which can now be seen throughout the world. There are currently four of these sculptures in Ireland, all of which have been generously donated by the artist.

The term Chac Mool refers to a style of ancient Mesoamerican sculpture found in temples and sacred sites throughout Central Mexico. Appearing as a vehicle between man and the gods, it traditionally depicts a reclining figure with its legs bent upwards, resting on its elbows and with its face looking out over its shoulder. This specific type of sculpture was discovered in the 19th century by an archaeologist who named it after the greatest Mayan warrior, Chac Mool. As the artist explains, the colour blue was traditionally used to signify members of the priesthood in ancient frescoes and manuscripts. Although there has been little agreement by historians and anthropologists as to the function or meaning of these ancient sculptures, one interpretation is that they were created to commemorate fallen warriors and allow others to offer gifts to the gods in their memory.

Here on campus, Sebastián’s Chac Mool reinforces a powerful sculptural lineage, associating itself most particularly with Henry Moore’s work entitled Reclining Connected Forms (1969). Moore stated that, from an early stage, he was captivated by Mexican sculpture, particularly by the Chac Mool figure, leading him in 1929 to carve his own Chac Mool in Hornton stone which he later described as one of the key works of his career, from which his renowned reclining figures developed. Sebastián’s turquoise Chac Mool is a vital, contemporary invitation to engage with figure, form, colour and sculpted space within a rich visual arts ancestry.

EVERY TIME I SEE MICKEY MOUSE MISSING AN EAR RATHER THAN THE FAMOUS E=mc2 EQUATION

June 30, 2023 by infomatique

APPLES AND ATOMS BY EILIS O’CONNELL

Apples and Atoms by Eilís O’Connell RHA Celebrating Ernest T.S. Walton 1903-95, Nobel Laureate

In 1932, Ernest Walton and John Cockcroft split the nucleus of a Li (lithium) atom, often termed ‘splitting the atom’. The experiment was carried out in the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, England. Albert Einstein declared that their experiment was the first demonstration of his famous E=mc2 equation.

Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the experiment, Trinity College Dublin invited six artists to submit a design responding to a brief to commemorate Ernest Walton’s research achievements as well as over 30 years of dedication to science education. Eilís O’Connell’s design was selected by an interdisciplinary panel including representatives from the Walton family, the School of Physics, the College Art Collections, the students, and external visual arts professionals.

Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton (6 October 1903 – 25 June 1995) was an Irish physicist and Nobel laureate. He is best known for his work with John Cockcroft to construct one of the earliest types of particle accelerator, the Cockcroft–Walton generator. In experiments performed at Cambridge University in the early 1930s using the generator, Walton and Cockcroft became the first team to use a particle beam to transform one element to another. According to their Nobel Prize citation: “Thus, for the first time, a nuclear transmutation was produced by means entirely under human control.”

A SCULPTURE BY HENRY MOORE

June 29, 2023 by infomatique

THE W.B. YEATS MEMORIAL ON THE MOUNT IN ST STEPHEN’S GREEN IN DUBLIN

I am willing to bet that the majority of people who visit St Stephen’s Green are unaware that there is a Henry Moore sculpture within the popular city centre public park.

Published on 8 July 2020: “Today, the Office of Public Works is delighted to announce the reopening of the William Butler Yeats Memorial in St Stephens Green Park, following an extensive programme of conservation works including the rejuvenation of ‘Knife Edge’ a sculpture by the internationally renowned sculpture Henry Moore.”

The W.B. Yeats Memorial is situated in an area known as the “Mount”, being a series of irregular terraces, forming an amphitheatre within the park. The creation of the amphitheatre was intentional; to provide an area in the Green that can be used for quiet contemplation or theatre, in the round and oration, reflecting Yeats’ work as a poet & playwright, as much as an informal place for people to gather. It remains today a much loved place, regarded by many as their own shared secret place among the trees.

The sculpture was donated by the W.B. Yeats Memorial Committee and funded by Irish American Philanthropist Mr. J. Kelly and Córas Tráchtála Teoranta. The Committee, who made a formal application to the Office of Public Works to place the proposed memorial in St Stephens Green, as “it was one of Yeats’ favourite haunts.”

The location of the sculpture was specifically chosen for the attractive views of the lake and waterfall obtained from the setting, which was terraced and paved by the Office of Public Works at the time. It has been cited as one of the finest settings for Henry Moore’s ‘Knife Edge’ by such eminent bodies as the Henry Moore Foundation.

Set onto the terrace in front of the sculpture is a plaque giving the sculpture its context as part of the Memorial. This was created by esteemed Sculptor Michael Biggs, the prominent sculptor and graphic designer responsible for the Arbour Hill Memorial Wall and the Series B Irish Banknotes (circulation 1976-1992).

On October 26th 1967, the W.B. Yeats Memorial was unveiled by the Taoiseach, Mr. Jack Lynch. The recent works included; repair and re-laying of pavements, steps and terraces; conservation of bronze sculpture and plaque; and installation of handrails to improve accessibility to the W.B. Yeats Memorial.