Family Unity

Located just across the road from both Bram Stoker Park & the recently visited Clontarf & Scots Presbyterian Church, set in the centre of Fairview Park, by complete accident I came across this rather interesting sculpture. I was heading down to look at another statue in the park when I spotted this find. Set just off the main path, the sculpture titled Family Unit 1 was made by the Irish artist Joe Moran. I believe back in 1991 as the little sponsorship plate notes.

Apparently, it is made from mild steel which has been sand blasted & sprayed with Zinc. It kind of reminds me of an African style similar to some stuff I’ve seen in Lanzarote. Moran is from Dublin’s North Strand, So Fairview Park would be a familiar place for him. Family Unit 1 represents three figures, two parents and a child in the centre, but only has four legs; the parents are supporting the child.

According to the artist, this piece represents the importance of unity because if the parents separate that support and the ‘unit’ fall apart. Moran worked in industry on Dublin’s docks for many years before eventually becoming a full-time artist. His work has been exhibited widely both nationally and internationally and he has completed a number of public sculptures including Icarus, at Dublin Airport, The Door, in Ringsend, Dublin and Family Unit 2. Guess I’ll be hunting these down for future posts!