Palimpsest (2024) per cent for Art Commission, Mayfair Library, Kilkenny

PALIMPSEST (2024) by artist Pauline O’Connell is an artistic and cultural project that creatively intertwines history, music, literature, sculpture and social engagement.

The project draws on the history of the Mayfair Ballroom from 1943 to 1973, a period marked by significant social, political, and cultural changes following World War II and Ireland’s entry into the European Union. By revisiting the Mayfair Ballroom’s legacy and its broader cultural context, the project has many layers of meaning that not only preserves and honours the past but also encourages the audience to reflect on cultural identity and the role of history in shaping contemporary society.

The concept of PALIMPSEST was directly influenced by the popular music of the era as reflective of the time. It comprises a permanent indoor wall sculpture consisting of thirty-two life-size bronze books. Each book features a song title referencing the most popular musical number 1 hit of that year (1943-1973). These are arranged (haphazardly) on seven beech wood shelves, each inscribed with selected quotes gathered from those who danced at the Mayfair Ballroom. Interspersed throughout the sculptural installation are previously banned books from the same era, such as Edna O’Brien’s The Country Girls, J.P. Donleavy’s The Ginger Man, and John McGahern’s The Dark. These books, strategically placed in the ‘gaps,’ highlight the tension between the era’s outward cultural aspirations and the inward censorship prevalent in Irish society. As part of the project the artist has invited three guest respondents to host free public workshops and talks: historian Dr Aoife Bhreatnach, historian and film director Michael Twomey, and cultural geographer Dr Gerry Kearns.

Pauline O’Connell

Pauline O’Connell is an Irish artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans theory, film, photography, sculpture, text and sound. She studied sculpture and photography at IADT (1993) and holds a first-class Master’s Degree from Limerick School of Art in Social Practice (2012). She is currently finishing her practice-led PhD at The University of Amsterdam. Throughout her thirty-year career, she has engaged with micro-histories and personal narratives, often presenting her projects within the communities from which they emerge. Her award winning work aims to create spaces where new subjectivities can surface, bridging the gap between art and lived experience. These projects have been exhibited and commissioned both nationally and internationally, in London, Paris, Vienna, throughout the USA, and in Ireland in galleries, fields, crossroads and community halls.

WHERE: Under The Per Cent For Art Scheme for The Mayfair City Library, Kilkenny, ‘Palimpsest’ (a cultural project that creatively intertwines history, music, literature, sculpture and social engagement) by Kilkenny-based visual artist Pauline O Connell was commissioned in 2024 to commemorate the former history of the Mayfair Ballroom 1943-1973, and its rejuvenation as a modern library.

WHAT: The installation consists of thirty-two bronze books, each featuring a song title referencing the most popular musical number 1 hit of that year. These books are placed on wooden shelves inscribed with personal quotes from people who danced there during that period, providing insight into the social history of the era. Additionally, books that were previously banned from that time are interspersed throughout the installation.

WHO: Pauline O’Connell is an Irish multidisciplinary artist whose 30-year career utilises an expanded sculptural practice that focuses on themes of memory, history, and community and incorporates personal narratives and micro-histories to create spaces that bridge art and lived experience.

Reflecting on the work, she says: “Palimpsest sheds light on the cultural tensions that have shaped our shared history and provides a platform for ongoing dialogue and meaningful community engagement. The goal was to acknowledge and transcend the complex legacies of the past, creating a space where history and memory can be revisited and transformed. This sculptural installation not only reflects the layers of our collective heritage but also integrates it into a vision for the present and future. This vision aims to unite and strengthen the entire community across gender, sexual orientation, race and class.”

As part of this project, the artist has invited cultural experts to respond by hosting workshops and talks in the library that aim to foster new dialogues and connections on various topics

Blacklists and Whitelists: censoring reading in Ireland – a workshop by Dr Aoife Bhreatnach historian, writer and podcaster on Saturday, October 19th 2024 from 2 pm-4 pm. Booking is required as the workshop numbers are limited.

Dance Halls and the Soft Revolution – a talk by Michael Twomey writer, filmmaker and historian on Saturday, November 9th 2024 from 2 pm-4 pm. No booking is required.

Borrowing from the Past: Censorship and Sociability in the Public Spaces of Kilkenny – a talk by Dr Gerry Kearns Professor of Human Geography at NUI Maynooth on Saturday, December 14th 2024 from 2 pm-4 pm. No booking is required.

“This installation is a tribute to all the joy and togetherness that the ballroom brought to our community. It’s a way to connect the past with the present as the building starts its new chapter as a public library,” comments County Librarian, Josephine Coyne.

Guests will have the opportunity to experience O’Connell’s artwork first-hand and explore the new library facilities, which include state-of-the-art resources, comfortable reading areas, and dedicated spaces for community events.