We seek to represent the physical and metaphysical idea of home through a short film and installation. Home, connection and a sense of place have always been important to the members of this group. Living in Dublin, the effects of the housing crisis are especially visible. Cranes, homelessness and derelict sites litter the landscape and further its descent into a placeless society. It is the Government’s responsibility to provide the basic human right of adequate housing, yet they have failed us. There is an absence of heart in Government policy and practice documents and we aim to capture a sense of humanity the documents lack. Our derelict site visits and community interactions brought the community voice to the fore. With Covid 19 impacting the gallery as a physical exhibition space, we decided to archive the research in a film, which is accessible for all globally and with whom this issue resonates.
Central to the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland campaign is the Five Pillar action plan. We aim to symbolically replace these pillars with our own, based on values we felt were missing from the policy document. We have attributed these values to objects that held symbolic and spiritual significance when traditionally choosing a site on which to build a home. Coal, holy water, salt, coins and iron amulets adopt a new meaning; each with its own descriptor, a value and a statistic about the housing crisis.
Alongside the installation is our short film, ‘Void’, which refers to the name given by city councils to empty social houses needing refurbishment. The imagery in the film is a juxtaposition of then and now, moving from present to past showing a shift from the true values of ‘home’ to a greater focus on construction for economic growth. A blank site notice represents the existing derelict sites and the impact these notices can have on a community.
Both the film and objects serve as a lieu de mémoire (site of memory) as their digital archiving will preserve the collective memory of this moment in time along with the symbolism, materiality, functionality of the objects.
We fully support the Home for Good campaign which calls for a referendum on Article 43 of the constitution (https://www.homeforgood.ie/). Special thanks to the National Folklore collection, RTE, British Movieline, Lorcan Film Unit and Stoneybatter Radio for archive imagery and audio.
Grainne is a designer and educator. She achieved a BA (Hons) in Visual Communications at the Dublin School of Creative Arts (DIT) in 2009. Following that, she completed Introduction to Digital Imaging at DIT in 2009 and a Diploma in Web Design at Dublin Business School in 2010. She went on to travel abroad where her experiences informed her artistic practice which explores the concept of home, surroundings and identity. More recently she undertook a foundation course with the Irish Steiner Kindergarten Association in 2018. Currently, she is completing a Professional Master of Education in NCAD. Her teaching pedagogy is hinged on her passion for equality and inclusivity in education.
Helena achieved a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art, Sculpture and Expanded Practice at The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in 2018. Her multimedia, sculptural installations investigate how human behaviour changes under observation. Her work particularly explores a range of complex issues including mass surveillance and power imbalances in society. However, since beginning the Professional Master of Education programme, Helena’s work has shifted to more delicate topics such as legacy, place and space which also informs her teaching practice.
Hollie graduated from The Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) in 2014 with a BA (Hons) in Model Making, Digital Effects and Design. Her three-dimensional practice has allowed her to work within different aspects in this field of work in a theatrical and film context including; sculpting, casting, architectural modelling, technical fabrication and digital modelling/animation. Currently in the final year of the PME program, her aim is to create and evolve the current curriculum for the modern student in a collaborative process. The involvement of student voice in issues both in a school and global context feed her pedagogical approach.