Parnell Square, at the northern end of the ‘Civic Spine’ running from the Square along O’Connell Street and Dame Street to Christchurch, is the traditional starting point for all of the most important processions and parades in the city. It is the earliest, and regarded by many as the finest, of Dublin’s Georgian Squares. Its significance in Dublin’s history predates the Georgian period. Previous excavations have uncovered burials believed to be from the battle of Clontarf in 1014.
SUZANNE MOVED FROM O’CONNELL STREET IN 2008 TO THE HUGH LANE GALLERY [ARTIST - JULIAN OPIE]
I really like ’Suzanne Walking’.
Back in 2008 four of Opie’s animated figures - Sara, Julian, Jack and Suzanne – were displayed walking on O’Connell Street in the direction of Parnell Square where Sara danced outside the Gallery. While moving signs and images are familiar in all cities and towns these works, inspired by popular culture, went beyond the obvious with a compelling contemporary aesthetic.
Julian Opie is widely recognised as one of the pre-eminent artists working with public sculpture today. His images are elemental in appearance though amongst the most complex and sophisticated in contemporary art practice. His highly stylised work involves the reduction of photographs or short films into figurative reproductions. His unique portraiture is characterised by black outlines with flat areas of colour and details are reduced to his linear elemental style that captures the subject’s entire personality.