A Vibrant Mesoamerican Dialogue At Trinity College

• A Vibrant Mesoamerican Dialogue At Trinity College
• This Is Not A Generic Red Metal Sculpture
• Modernist Form In College Park By Gerda Frömel
• Unveiling Failing Better
• Sculpture By Henry Moore At Trinity College
• Vernon Arch On Castle Avenue 22 July 2026
• Street Art On View At Malborough Place
• The Pond And Associated Follies
• Photographs Of St Anne's Park
• Deformed Trees And Exposed Roots
• Annie Lee Tower And Bridge
• The Clock Tower And The Walled Garden
• Northside Dublin

MY TRINITY COLLEGE PUBLIC ART TRAIL

THE LEGACY CATALOG

* In The Year 2008 * In The Year 2011 * In The Year 2017 * Henrietta Back In 2010

CHAC MOOL IN BLUE BY SEBASTIAN PHOTOGRAPHED USING A LEICA Q3

Sebastián’s Chac Mool: A Vibrant Mesoamerican Dialogue at Trinity College

• Positioned near the Lincoln Gate entrance to Trinity College Dublin, Chac Mool (2002) by the renowned Mexican sculptor Sebastián (born Enrique Carbajal González) is a striking, steel-built intervention in the urban landscape. Formally unveiled on 18 September 2015 by Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast and the Mexican Ambassador to Ireland, Carlos García de Alba Zepeda, the piece was presented to mark 40 years of Mexican-Irish diplomatic relations.

• It is one of four public sculptures generously gifted to Ireland by the artist. Born in Chihuahua in 1947, Carbajal adopted the moniker "Sebastián" in homage to Sandro Botticelli’s depiction of the martyred Saint Sebastian. Today, he is internationally celebrated for his monumental geometric abstractions constructed from steel and concrete.

The Evolutionary Lineage of Form

• The ancient Mesoamerican Chac Mool—defined by its upward-bent knees, elbows resting, and head turned 90 degrees—branches into two distinct modern trajectories on the Trinity College campus:
• Geometric Constructivism — Sebastián (2002): Executed in spray-painted mild steel with an industrial turquoise hue, composed of folded planes and sharp, faceted angles near the Lincoln Gate.
• Organic Biomorphism — Henry Moore (1969): Executed in cast bronze with a tactile, earth-toned surface, composed of smooth, curved voids and shell-like interlocking forms at Library Square.

The Origins of the Reclining Form

• The term Chac Mool refers to a distinct style of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican statue discovered across central Mexico and Yucatan temple sites. Serving as a sacred intermediary between mortals and deities, the figure traditionally sits in a reclining posture—knees drawn up, resting on its elbows, with its head turned sharply outward.

• In ancient frescoes and codices, the vivid turquoise blue chosen by Sebastián signified members of the priesthood and sacred rituals. While historians continue to study their exact ritual role, these figures are widely understood as altars for sacrificial offerings or memorials to fallen warriors.

Chac Mool vs Reclining Connected Forms: A Campus Comparison

Chac Mool vs Reclining Connected Forms: A Campus Comparison

1. Chac Mool by Sebastián (2002)

• Location: Lincoln Gate Entrance
• Medium: Spray-painted mild steel (Turquoise)
• Aesthetic: Geometric, angular, sharp faceted planes
• Lineage: Modern Mexican constructivism rooted in Mayan heritage

2. Reclining Connected Forms by Henry Moore (1969)

• Location: Library Square / Berkeley Library
• Medium: Cast bronze (Patinated brown/green)
• Aesthetic: Biomorphic, smooth, curved interlocking voids
• Lineage: British modernist abstraction inspired by Mesoamerican stone carvings

Having both works on the Trinity College campus offers a fascinating lesson in art history. In the late 1920s, Henry Moore was profoundly inspired by a plaster cast of a Mayan Chac Mool he studied in Paris. That encounter led directly to his seminal 1929 Hornton stone Reclining Figure—a milestone he cited as the primary catalyst for his lifelong exploration of the reclining form. His 1969 bronze piece in Library Square, Reclining Connected Forms, represents the culmination of that journey, abstracting the body into smooth, bone-like shells and internal voids. Sebastián approaches the very same archetype from a contrasting perspective. Where Moore softens stone and bronze into rolling, landscape-like curves, Sebastián uses folded, sheet-steel geometry and high-saturation turquoise paint. His Chac Mool translates an ancient sacred posture into a sharp, structural idiom.

Standing at Trinity College, both sculptures establish an ongoing artistic dialogue across decades, bridging ancient Mesoamerica, 20th-century British modernism, and contemporary Mexican constructivism.

Railway Stations

* Clontarf Railway Station * Docklands Railway Station * Malahide Railway Station

Recommended Photo Galleries

• Sculpture By Betty Gold
• All Forms Of Memorial
• Standing On A Knife Edge By Henry Moore
• The Children Of Lir By Oisin Kelly
• Man And Dog Sculpture At Cork University Campus
• Many Years Of Sculpture In Context
• Public Art As Photographed In 2024
• Examples Of Public Art 2023 Catalog
• Annie Lee Tower And Bridge
• The Clock Tower And The Walled Garden
• Northside Dublin
• Formally Known As The Irish Suzhou Garden At St Anne's Park
• St Ann's Holy Well At St Anne's
• St John The Baptist Cemetery In Clontarf

Our Equipment Choices

Today I received A Godox iT30Pro L for my Leica Q3 and I also received A Godox iT30Pro S for my Sony A1 II and Sony A7RVI. I will discuss the Leica version here.

The Godox iT30Pro L is Godox's ultra-compact, dedicated TTL mini speedlite designed for Leica camera systems. Weighing a mere 120 g, it provides a portable, modern lighting solution for Leica M, Q, and SL series bodies without disrupting the balanced ergonomics of rangefinders or compact cameras.

Technical Specifications at a Glance

• Guide Number (GN): 15 m (at ISO 100) / ~49.2 ft
• Flash Output Range: 1/1 to 1/128 (in 1/3 EV increments)
• Exposure Modes: Leica TTL, Manual (M), Multi-Stroboscopic
• Sync Modes: High-Speed Sync (HSS up to 1/8000s), 1st Curtain, 2nd Curtain
• Wireless Radio: Built-in 2.4 GHz Godox X System (Transmitter & Receiver; 32 Channels, 4 Groups)
• Display & Controls: 2.8" Full-Colour Touchscreen + Tactile Rear Scroll Dial
• Power Supply: Built-in 7.2V / 900 mAh Li-ion battery (USB-C rechargeable)
• Recycle Time & Battery Life: ~1.5 seconds full power; ~560 full-power flashes per charge
• Dimensions & Weight: 65 × 46 × 47 mm; 120 g
• EU Price Range: ~€100 – €110 (slightly higher than the €85–€89 variants for Canon/Nikon/Sony due to Leica shoe configuration)

Technical Review: Pros, Cons & Forum Insights

The Pros

• True Leica TTL Integration: Unlike previous manual mini flashes (such as the Lux Junior or iM30), the "L" version communicates directly with Leica's TTL metering system, yielding accurate auto-exposures.
• Integrated Godox 2.4 GHz X System: Functions as both a wireless Master/Transmitter (to trigger off-camera AD200s or V1s) and a wireless Receiver (controllable via a Godox X3-L trigger).
• Incredible Form Factor: At 120 g, it sits unobtrusively on top of an M10, M11, or Q3 without making the setup top-heavy.
• Built-in Wide/Normal (WN) Diffuser Switch: A mechanical side switch flips a built-in diffuser panel across the flash lens to soften direct light and widen beam coverage.
• Li-ion Convenience: USB-C direct charging eliminates the need for carrying spare AA/AAA batteries in your kit bag.

The Cons & Things to Be Aware Of

• Touchscreen Sensitivity (Crucial User Warning): A frequent complaint across user forums is that the 2.8" touchscreen is overly sensitive. Carrying the camera on a shoulder strap often leads to accidental power level changes or mode switches unless the screen lock is engaged.
• Fixed Flash Head: The flash head cannot tilt or swivel. You cannot bounce light off ceilings or side walls without removing the flash from the camera or using an off-camera TTL cable/trigger.
• Tight Leica Hot Shoe Tolerances: Leica hot shoes (notably on M film bodies and digital M models) feature tight mechanical tolerances. Ensure the quick-release foot is fully pushed into the shoe until it clicks, otherwise the TTL pins may lose contact.
• Modest Power Output: With a Guide Number of 15 m at ISO 100, this flash is designed for close-range street fill, environmental portraits, or indoor fill-in. It will not overpower harsh direct midday sunlight across long distances.
• Internal Non-Removable Battery: Once depleted, you must plug the flash into a USB-C power bank rather than swapping in fresh batteries.

Ideal Settings & Step-by-Step Setup

Recommended Operational Settings

• Street / Environmental Fill-Flash: Set mode to Leica TTL, with Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) set between -1.0 EV and -1.6 EV. This brightens shadow areas under eyes or hats while retaining natural ambient light.
• Low-Light / Indoor Portraits: Set mode to Manual (1/16 to 1/64 power), slide the WN switch to "W" (Wide) to deploy the wide-angle diffusion panel, and keep subject distances within 1.5–3 metres.
• Bright Sunlight / Open Aperture Shooting: Enable HSS (High-Speed Sync) on the flash so your Leica can sync up to 1/8000s shutter speed.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mount and Lock to Hot Shoe: Mechanical setup. Turn off both camera and flash. Press and hold the quick-release lock button on the iT30Pro L base, slide the foot fully into the Leica hot shoe until seated, and release the button to secure the pin mechanism.

2. Power On and Select Exposure Mode: Initial settings. Power on the flash using the dedicated side power switch. Tap the top-left mode icon on the touchscreen to toggle between TTL (for automatic metering) or M (for manual power control).

3. Adjust Diffuser Position: Light quality setup. For focal lengths wider than 35 mm or close-up subjects, slide the side WN switch to "W". This drops the internal diffuser in front of the flash tube to broaden coverage and soften shadows.

4. Configure Exposure Compensation / Power: Fine-tuning output. In TTL mode, use the physical rear scroll wheel to dial in -1.0 EV FEC for natural fill. In Manual mode, spin the dial to set your desired output fraction (e.g. 1/32).

5. Engage Touchscreen Lock: Essential step. Long-press the lock icon on screen or press the quick-lock function to lock the touchscreen interface. This prevents accidental setting changes while shooting on location.

Why Are Official Leica-Branded Flashes So Expensive?

While the Godox iT30Pro L retails brand new for ~€100 – €110, official Leica-branded speedlites command a substantial price premium.

Pricing Context (EU Market)

• Godox iT30Pro L: ~€105 (New)
• Leica SF 40: ~€380 – €430 (Used / Pre-owned only — Discontinued by Leica; originally retailed at ~€510 new)
• Leica SF 60: ~€600 (New — Currently Leica's primary active entry-level speedlite)

Key Reasons for the Leica Price Premium

1. Rebadged OEM Partnering & Licensing Fees: Leica does not manufacture flash electronics in-house. Their SF series speedlites are re-engineered units produced by Japanese manufacturer Nissin (for example, the SF 40 is based on the Nissin i40, and the SF 60 on the Nissin i60A). Leica pays licensing fees for custom camera-to-flash communication protocols and redesigned outer casings, which inflates end-user costs.
2. Discontinuation and Availability Premium: Because smaller models like the SF 40 have been discontinued, users seeking an official compact Leica flash must either compete on the second-hand market or buy the significantly larger and costlier SF 60.
3. Low Volume Production: Leica operates on vastly smaller production runs than mass-market lighting brands like Godox. Fixed tooling and software engineering costs are spread across far fewer total units sold.
4. Brand Equity & Build Consistency: Leica gear carries an overhead markup tied to brand positioning, strict quality control standards, long-term servicing support, and aesthetic matching for anodized metal camera finishes.
5. Physical Capabilities: Larger OEM units like the SF 60 offer a tilting/swivelling head, motor-zooming reflectors up to 200 mm, and higher output power (GN 60). However, for compact travel and street shooting, the Godox iT30Pro L matches or exceeds them in pure convenience, radio ecosystem integration, and overall value.