A permanent public art sculpture by artist Pauline O’Connell in the Mayfair City Library, Kilkenny.
As part of 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.
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.
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
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: 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
The second talk is by writer, filmmaker and historian Michael Twomey, entitled
‘Wish You Were Here: The Redbarn Story’
It takes place on Saturday, November 9th 2024. Michael’s film will also be screened daily from 2:30 -5 pm at the Mayfair Library the week previous and on the morning of the talk.
Michael Twomey will explore the dynamics of change brought to Irish society by the ‘soft revolution’ of the dance halls in the 1960s and 1970s. Showcasing clips from his film, ‘Wish You Were Here: The Redbarn Story’ (2017), Michael will discuss how the new wave of American and British music, and its peculiar Irish hybrid of Country and Rock ‘n’ Roll, inspired a change in attitude among the younger generation coming out of the political, social and religious stagnation of the 1950s. He will explore how the sweaty dance halls became epi-centres for a cultural phenomenon that danced its way into modern Ireland.
This event on Saturday, November 9th will commence at 2 pm in the museum room (located on the right, as you enter the library’s main doors) and run until 3:30 pm. The artist will briefly introduce the project before Michael’s talk.
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.
For more information contact
Pauline O Connell, (083) 4441692, email: paulinefire@gmail.com
or see www.kilkennylibrary.ie for more details.
Contact the Mayfair Library at (056) 7794174 for details.
