Portraits from Clocha Rince (2007) by Christopher Banahan was commissioned through the Department of the Environment and Local Government’s Per Cent for Art Scheme for a local authority housing development at Ard Carraig, Clocha Rince, North Kildare. Rather than creating a conventional public sculpture, Banahan developed a community-based portrait project that explored identity, belonging and neighbourliness within a newly formed residential community. Working with residents of the new housing development, Banahan created a series of intimate painted portraits based on photographs taken by one of the residents. Each portrait, painted on a panel the size of a house brick, captured a personal moment in the subject’s new home. The artworks were exhibited locally before being presented to the participants, celebrating both individual identity and the creation of new community connections. The project culminated in a public exhibition and publication that brought together new and existing residents, fostering familiarity and dialogue within the village. Through this thoughtful engagement process, Portraits from Clocha Rince became a lasting record of a community in formation and an example of how public art can strengthen social bonds and create a shared sense of place.
Portraits from Clocha Rince by Christopher Banahan, 2007
