I have seen this described as startlingly morbid memorial sculpture located across the street from one of Ireland’s most infamous prisons.
“Proclamation” by Rowan Gillespie is a permanent outdoor sculpture honouring the leaders of the Easter Rising, and the authors of the Irish proclamation of Independence. It stands solemnly across the street from the notorious Kilmainham Gaol where the proclamation scribes were executed in 1916.
It features abstract and faceless bronze statues standing in a circle around a pillar, the words of their proclamation engraved into the metal. These eerily blindfolded statues each have an execution order or a verdict carved into their base, and their torsos are riddled with holes to represent where they were hit by the firing squad. Each torso has a different bullet pattern, which is one of the only varying characteristics of the figures.
These statues have no names, faces or limbs. They are meant to represent the rebel leaders who were the seven signatories on the Proclamation. There are fourteen figures in total and the other seven were donated to the piece by the artist himself in honour of the total number of executions involving the rising and in memory of his grandfather James Creed Meredith.
Rowan Gillespie is an Irish bronze casting sculptor of international renown. He was born in Dublin in 1953 and spent his formative years in Cyprus. He studied art at York School of Art, Kingston College of Art, and Kunst og Handverke Skole in Oslo. After living and exhibiting in Norway for several years, he returned to Ireland in 1977.
Gillespie is known for his figurative sculptures, which often depict historical or literary figures. His work is characterised by its expressiveness and emotional power. Some of his most famous sculptures include the Famine Memorial (1997), Titanica (2004), and Ripples of Ulysses (2008).
Gillespie is a highly skilled craftsman and works alone in his purpose-built bronze casting foundry. He is unique among bronze casting sculptors in that he does all of the moulding, casting, and finishing himself. This gives his work a distinctively personal touch.
Gillespie’s sculptures can be found in public and private collections all over the world. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Henry Moore Award for Sculpture (1988) and the Edward James Foundation Award (1993).
I asked Google Bard to describe Dublinbikes Docking Station at Kinmainham Gaol and here is what I got:
Dublinbikes Docking Station 97 is located at Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. The station is located at the corner of Inchicore Road and Kilmainham Lane, just a short walk from the entrance to the gaol.
The station has 12 spaces for Dublinbikes, and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To use the station, you will need to have a Dublinbikes membership. You can purchase a membership online or at any Dublinbikes station.
Once you have a membership, you can simply scan your membership card at the station to unlock a bike. You will have 30 minutes of free riding time, after which you will be charged a fee. You can also rent a bike for a longer period of time by paying a daily or weekly rate.
Dublinbikes Docking Station 97 is a convenient way to get to and from Kilmainham Gaol. The gaol is a popular tourist destination, and the station is located just a short walk from the entrance. The station is also a good option for people who live in the area and want to use Dublinbikes to get around.
Here are some additional details about Dublinbikes Docking Station 97:
Address: Inchicore Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, Ireland Coordinate: 53.340438, -6.239251 Number of spaces: 12 Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Website: https://www.dublinbikes.ie/ I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions.