Artist Kevin O’Dwyer won the opportunity to tender for a new permanent sculpture commission for UCD’s Belfield campus in response to the university’s hosting of the Sixth World Archaeological Congress (WAC 6).

View a video of the sculpture installation here.

Listen to a podcast by O'Dwyer here.

O’Dwyer will took up residency at UCD during the week of WAC 6 (29 June – 4 July 2008) where he will interact and engage in the scholarly discussions and conference proceedings. It is envisaged that this will provide inspiration for the development of O’Dwyer’s final sculptural proposal,which would be realised on campus in 2009. This will provide a permanent testimony to Ireland’s unique honour of hosting the World Archaeological Congress.
 
O’Dwyers proposal to create a site specific work of art on UCD campus stated:
 
For over 25 years my artwork has explored the subtleties of ritual and imagination. Irish prehistoric art, bronze-age artefacts, early monastic metalwork, 20th century design and architecture are my creative influences. Equipped with this visual vocabulary I create artefacts that often combine the textured surfaces and flowing lines of our past with the strong and austere forms of modern architecture. The ultimate goal is to create a work of art that is timeless, thought provoking and responsive to the human spirit. A childhood divided between the rich monastic ruins of Tipperary and the skyscrapers of Manhattan has profoundly influenced my sense of place and the way I approach the creation of intimate artefacts or site-specific installations. 
 
As an artist, Kevin has a singular style and profile, which succeeded in having him named as one of the 100 most influential Irish Americans by Irish America magazine in 2007. His works have been purchased by collectors the world over including Nelson Mandela, King Carl Gustus (Sweden),The Japanese Imperial Family, President Bill Clinton and King Juan Carlos (Spain) . His work is featured in public collections including the High Museum (USA), Racine Museum of Art (USA), The Victoria and Albert Museum (UK),Ulster Museum, Espace Paul Ricard (France), Governor’s Palace (Belgium), Sculpture in the Parklands and the National Museum of Ireland. O’Dwyer has represented Ireland in over 40 international exhibitions as well as lecturing and teaching masterclasses in Europe and the United States. He founded Sculpture in the Parklands, a pioneering land-art sculpture park in Lough Boora Parklands, Co. Offaly in 2002. He directs and curates the on-going programme at the sculpture park which provides artists with the opportunity to respond to the rich environmental and industrial heritage of the peatlands.
 
O’Dwyer’s mastery of metalworking married with his vision for public sculpture and sensitivity in landscape intervention promise to make his residency and commission a unique contribution to UCD’s growing public art collection, capturing the dynamic discussions of WAC 6 in the flowing forms of his artwork.
 
Participants of WAC 6 and the UCD scholarly community are invited to meet Kevin during his residency and contribute to the conversations which will lead to the final realised piece. For anyone wishing to arrange a private meeting, please contact Ian Russell (ian.russell(at)amexhibition.com) who will make every effort to accommodate requests.
 
More information on Kevin’s work can be found at: www.millennium2000silver.com
 
More information on Sculpture in the Parklands can be found at: www.sculptureintheparklands.com
 
More information on the Sixth World Archaeological Congress can be found at: www.ucd.ie/wac-6