Friday morning, 13th October, the percent for art sculpture was unveiled. In conjunction with the launch of the strategic plan, guests were treated with beautiful weather, excellent music performances from our students, speakers from School Management, student speakers, and the Artist Ralf Sanders. The Art piece conveys a very strong and important message in today’s society.
Ralf Sander who designed this year’s 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games landmark outdoor sculpture in South Korea, and the Belfast Seahorse in 2013 among many other prestigious objects worldwide, developed and made The Runner for Glanmire Community College. He is focussing on environmental issues in many of his artworks and he is designated a pioneer of the renewable energy art movement.
Here Sander suggested a sculpture that reveals itself from certain points of observation referring to highest cultural achievements in the history of humankind such as the Venus de Milo and most dangerous recent effects of contemporary technology and careless use of it. The intention of the sculpture is to build emotional and intellectual awareness for the future.
First the viewer can see two pillars that might look like fossil stones. At a closer look however the viewer discovers that the two pillars are looking like fossil stones, not fossils of shells but of plastic bottles. These are future fossil. It is what might remain of our civilisation and culture.
In the void between two columns the shape of the Venus de Milo becomes visible from another position a student doing recreational sport can be seen. Both figures are visible but physically absent.
The two pillars that build the images in their void are made of cast marble; a noble, durable and valuable material that stands in a strong contrast to the subject.
Casting marine plastic as a medium, like paint or clay, to create artwork is the idea. Although often aesthetically beautiful, this work points to the concerning profusion of these plastics in our environment. The proposal connects beauty with a harsh reality at the same time it shows and produces awareness for the future.
Ralf Sander started this project and developed a method of transforming plastic waste after discovering the mountains of plastic debris that has been washed up on the on shores in the pacific.
He wants the community to take ownership of the pieces and included the schoolchildren in the making process, who will benefit longest from what was produced – perhaps one day bringing their own children or grandchildren to see what they helped to create.
Ralf Sanders, artist, pictured at the unveiling with the School Management team
In the void between two columns the shape of the Venus de Milo
A string quartet, with some of the schools finest musicians performing for guests at the ceremony.
Jack Daly, Student task group for the percent for art commission, presenting Ralf sanders with a gift from the school