Artist – Michael Greenlaw

The Dunmanway Mosaic

Dunmanway Day Care Centre

The Dunmanway Mosaic aimed to collaboratively create an artwork that would brighten up a concrete ramp at the side entrance of Dunmanway Day Care Centre.

The idea for the project originated with Anita, Dunmanway Day Care Centre manager, who felt the blank concrete space would benefit greatly from a beautiful piece of art.

Starting during the summer of 2022, lead artist Michael Greenlaw worked alongside Arts for Health participants at Dunmanway Day Care Centre to create mosaic panels that reflected images of local significance to Dunmanway, as well as sentimental personal memories.

After studying mosaics from the local area, as well as examples from further afield in Ukraine, Ancient Greece and Rome, the group decided to include images of a cow and a calf, a tractor, the Sam Maguire Cup, a flower, a horse’s head, a castle, a bridge, a banjo, a horseshoe, a leaf, a yin and yang symbol, Duffy’s circus iconic elephant, and the head of a boxer dog, to honour one participant’s beloved dogs. Choosing the images led to lively discussions of fond memories, and moments of local learning for artist Michael Greenlaw.

When the individual panels were complete, Michael installed them over two days, with individuals coming out to see their work in its final place.

Timeframe

This project started in the summer of 2022 and was completed in September 2023.

Credit: Images by Michael Greenlaw.

This project was supported by Arts for Health Partnership Programme, Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre.