ARTWORK SHIPPED TO DENMARK
RATHDRUM’S ELEANOR MCNAMARA WORKED ON THIS FANTASTIC SCULPTURE IN KILCOOLE. NOW IT’S IN A DANISH MUSEUM. NICOLA DONNELLY REPORTS
A WICKLOW artist has made her mark in Denmark creating one of the main sculptural pieces at the reopening of an impressive new museum.
The Strandings Museum in Ulfborg offers a unique insight into some of the famous shipwrecks that have befallen the treacherous conditions off the Jutland coastline.
One of its main exhibitions deals with the story of the HMS George and HMS Defense that sank off the coast in 1811, with the loss of 1,400 lives.
And for Rathdrum artist Eleonora McNamara, it marked the end of a nine-month journey as her inimitable centrepiece sculpture, which is one of the main sculptural pieces that deals with this tragedy, was unveiled.
Eleonora was charged with the task of creating the centrepiece, which was commissioned by London- and Dublin-based group Event Communications.
The large representational piece, comprised of acrylic and aluminum engineering, captures the scene of the aforementioned ships trying, in vain, to navigate the massive foreboding waves.
The lighting designer was Jens Lind Larson and the project art director was Lucy Carruthers of Event Communications whom Eleonora has previously collaborated with for the popular Epic Ireland centre in Dublin’s Docklands.
Eleonora worked on the piece from concept to delivery at her base in Kilcoole, where her company, All Shapes All Makes, is currently located.
All Shapes And Makes also provides sculptural props and pieces for various movie and television productions such as ‘Vikings’ and ‘Into The Badlands’.
Eleonora remarked how honoured she was to be chosen to create such a significant piece for a museum with such historical importance.
‘Although it’s hard to accept that my end of the journey has come to a close, it very much feels as if the journey of the sculpture is only just beginning,’ said Eleonora.
The museum hopes to attract an average of 50,000 local and international visitors a year.