THE Nordic countries may be more immediately associated with excellence in design than Ireland is but this year, that may be about to change.
2015 is the Year of Irish Design and there are lots of events and activities taking place throughout the island that explore, promote and celebrate the creativity of Irish design and Irish designers.
You can even view some of these from the comfort of your own home – profiles.ie features a series of short video interviews with individuals and groups working in art and design in Ireland.
They talk about their past experiences, their current situation and where they hope to bring their work in future.
You’ll get a great insight into the state of Irish design at this moment in time just by listening to them.
Afterwards, you may feel inspired to travel to Ireland to see for yourself just what is happening for the Year of Irish Design.
If so, a good place to start is the ID2015 Design Hub in Dublin Castle.
Here you’ll find the Hidden Heroes exhibition, which runs until June 14.
This focuses on 30 everyday items — from tea bags to zippers — telling about the history and influence their design has had and continues to have to this day.
Later in the year, this will be replaced by Liminal, the flagship exhibition of the Year of Irish Design.
This runs from July 3 to September 20 and explores the work of Irish designers at home and abroad and charts the development of Irish design from Eileen Gray right through to the Kilkenny Design Workshop today.
You’ll find plenty more at the Design Hub too. If it’s a Saturday, you may find a family design workshop
These include classes in making LED lamps, learning about 3D printing and how to make your own battery-operated cooling fan from scratch.
If it’s lunchtime on Thursday, you may just catch a lunchtime talk.
From 1.15pm to 1.45pm on every alternate Thursday for the rest of the year, different designers will discuss ways of improving life through design.
Dublin-based designer Shirley Copperwhite is just one of those celebrating Irish Year of DesignBring your lunch. The tea will be provided, along with lots of food for thought!
Speaking of food, what with the Irish food scene being so vibrant at the moment, it’s no wonder that food plays a part in the Year of Irish Design.
Kilkenny’s National Craft Gallery is presenting ‘Eating Experiences’, a series of culinary encounters that promise to showcase seasonal, wonderful and sometimes bizarre foods.
For example, the Culinary Counter on June 6 aims to break down the barriers between the kitchen and customers through the medium of a stimulating and theatrical tasting menu.
It may not be easy to know quite what that means but you can certainly expect it to be interesting!
There are events taking place nationwide as part of the Year of Irish Design.
There are even some events that are being brought on tour.
The Architectural Association of Ireland is bringing its annual exhibition of excellence of contemporary Irish design on tour from May to November.
And the ID2015 Bus is bringing an eclectic mix of designers and designs to some of the smaller towns and villages of Ireland from June to September.
West Cork is holding an exhibition based on the work of six local craftspeople from June to August.
In Limerick, an exhibition called Productive Fragments that is being held in June will ask how the Georgian quarter of the city can be reinvigorated.
During that same month, an exhibition called Rural Architecture and Design will take place at the Dock Arts Centre in Leitrim.
And back in Limerick again on the first of July, a summer pavilion will be constructed at the Hunt Museum.
Its aim is to combine architecture, product design and digital fabrication to produce an innovative structure that will host a wide range of cultural activities for the rest of the summer.
Later in July, Kilkenny’s National Craft Gallery will hold a Jewellery and Goldsmithing Graduate Exhibition, showcasing the work of this year’s graduates from the city’s Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course.
Back in Dublin, those of you searching for something more interactive might find it at the Festival of Curiosity which runs from July 23-26.
This festival of science, arts, culture and technology is focusing on design this year with a number of showcases, salons and workshops.
There are free family events during the day and curated events at night. For something more glitzy, the Little Museum of Dublin is hosting ‘Ireland on Film’, an exhibition of costumes from iconic Irish movies during August and September.
Expect to see unique designs from films such as My Left Foot and Calvary.
Film plays a part of this year's ID2015, pictured here is actor Brendan Gleeson in CalvaryThere’s plenty more happening in August.
The Royal Dublin Society is holding its annual National Craft Awards at the RDS from August 5-9.
The very best examples of Irish craft will be on display here, with more than 80 different exhibits to see.
And if you can travel to Northern Ireland, August is its annual craft month, when it celebrates the wealth of contemporary craft in the region.
The focus stays away from Dublin in September. Waterford’s tradition of glass-making will be explored in Refract, an exhibition of contemporary glass which runs in the city from September 10 to the end of November.
We’ll be back in the capital in October when the A’ Design Awards Exhibition opens in the ID2015 Design Hub.
This annual international design competition honours the best designers, architects, engineers and design studios worldwide and the works will be displayed until Waterford will tempt those with an interest in design back again in October with its Festival of Architecture.
Running from October 2-4, the programme includes public talks, tours, exhibitions and demonstrations, all focusing on the architectural design and history of the town.
Another high point of the design calendar in Ireland will be reached on the first of November.
This marks the opening day of the Irish Design Awards exhibition. This showcases the winners and finalists of the annual Institute of Designers of Ireland Design Awards and there’s always a lot to inspire.
Later that month, the attention will once again be outside of Dublin. Leitrim Design House Network will present The Essence of Design exhibition from November 5-28.
And in November and December, the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny will host an exhibition of contemporary work from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Portfolio: Critical Selection 2015-2016.
This features 22 Irish craftspeople and designers who have achieved excellence in craftsmanship, design quality and technical The breadth and variety of events taking place throughout the country for 2015’s Year of Irish Design is impressive.
Aileen Balfe and Eleanor McCaughey from ail+elDISCOVER FRESH TALENT
From architecture to product design, movie magic to engineering Ireland’s next generation of designers are making a mark.
Here’s three ones to watch...
Aileen Balfe and Eleanor McCaughey, ail+el
Combining fine art and interior design, childhood friends Aileen Balfe and Eleanor McCaughey have paired up to found Dublin-based ail+el.
Producing a beautiful urban-inspired range of concrete homeware, art prints and textiles these DIT graduates currently sell their wares in stores across Dublin, Galway and Sligo.
Among their collection you’ll find contemporary pieces such as concrete planters moulded from every day recycled materials and hand silk screen printed linen tea towels.
Their skills complement perfectly — Eleanor has a degree in Fine Art and has exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery, while Aileen has furthered her degree in Interior & Furniture Design by studying textiles in Japan and Eleanor was also awarded the Conor Prize for a figurative work from the Royal Ulster Academy last year.
Product designer Craig HigginsCraig Higgins
A graduate in Product Design and Technology from the University of Limerick, Craig Higgin’s First Mate project is a unique life safety inflatable.
Now working with leading medical technology company Medtronic Galway, Craig’s floatation device opens out to allow those who’ve gone overboard to stay out of the freezing water, dramatically reducing body heat loss and giving greater visibility to potential rescuers.
Model maker and sculptor Vincent LamVincent Lam
From working with the Galway Arts Festival to TV’s Vikings series Kildare-based Vincent Lam has been sculpting from a young age and now works on prosthetics and costume design.
With an interest in mechanics and design, his ‘Exhibit 8’ alien model was made using dragon skin silicon on fibreglass.
“I created this for my final year project in college,” said the 24-year old graduate from the Institute of Art, Design & Technology in Dun Laoghaire.
“He’s an animatronic, suspended from medical equipment which lights up and appears to be keeping him alive.”
Vincent’s goal now is to pursue a career in the movie business — no doubt spurred on by his love of science fiction.
He is currently creating his next monster for a short film.
