Kearns, Gerard
(2017)
Fiona Whelan - Enduring Place.
Klaxon.
Abstract
Rialto abuts the centre of the City of Dublin on its south-western
side. When Fiona Whelan came to a studio there in 2004 she felt
‘immediately drawn’ to this predominantly working-class neighbourhood.
Much of its public housing has since been demolished
taking the population of the parish from 6,395 with 44% in public
housing in 2006, to 3,639 including 24% in public housing in 2011.
Whelan came because she ‘wanted to make art with young people,’
and, since 1980, the area had been home to one of the most
progressive youth programmes in Ireland: ‘In an age of inequality
where working class communities are oppressed the Rialto Youth
Project is working towards bringing about social change providing
an integrated youth service based on the needs of young people
and in particular those most at risk.’ Whelan had first planned
to stay nine months but after a dozen years she is still in Rialto:
‘for me, it’s an energy.’ The exuberance of the young people and
the ambition of the artist youth work team have been fed and
sharpened through two long projects: What’s The Story (2007-11),
and The Natural History of Hope (2012-16).
Item Type: |
Article
|
Keywords: |
Fiona Whelan; Enduring Place; |
Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography |
Item ID: |
9174 |
Depositing User: |
Gerry Kearns
|
Date Deposited: |
22 Jan 2018 14:35 |
Journal or Publication Title: |
Klaxon |
Publisher: |
Cifas |
Refereed: |
Yes |
URI: |
|
Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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