ALICE

For a very long time I have wanted to create an art piece based on Dame Alice Kyteler. Without a doubt she is one of my all time favourite nuggets of history from my medieval home town. Dame Alice was the first woman to be accused of witch craft In Ireland in around 1300. She was somewhat of a powerful woman in Kilkenny at the time. She was briefly accused of killing her first husband with her second. From there on she became a woman shrouded by suspicions. She was accused of money lending, sacraficing animals. witch craft, sleeping with her demons, blasphemy just to name a few. When her forth husband became sick he suspected he was meeting the same faith as her last 3 loves. Her followers we rounded up and brutally questioned. Her servant girl Petronella De Meath was flogged and tortured to the point where she admitted that Alice was involved In all the crimes put against her. Once she was condemed by the Church, the first on record, she fled the country with Pertonella's daughter, Alices granddaughter. Petronella De Meath was then to be the first woman burned to the stake In Ireland for crimes of witch craft on November 3rd 1324. That forever friend friendship bracelet Alice bought Petronella In Argos the year before melted quicker than her heart. Oh the backstabbing pain. 
Dame Alice Kyteler fled the country and the remainder of her life Is a mystery. Today In Kilkenny the house where she was born and lived Is still a popular eating and drinking tavern and the tunnels that Alice escaped through are still beneath the city streets. 
The mural I created hopefully remembers the tale of this amazing time in the city. At street level you see Alice as if she Is laid out to be burned at the stake. Laying on top of all the wood brought to the fire. When you look through the gaps you see that she Is levitating, floating away. Perhaps she's engrossed In one of her incubuses? She does have a slight cheeky smile goin on. 
I only discovered another amazing piece of information the other day on my Facebook page:

Alan Phelan Fitting as dame Alice was accused of witch craft in that very church behind it. Also a part of her father's grave slab can be seen in the monuments room at st Marys.

How cool is that? Hope these stories keep on coming and people start looking back at the amazing history thats in front of us every day that we sometimes forget. Thanks Alan. 

 This was an amazing commission and all thanks to certain people in the city who we're willing to take a chance and do something different. I was commissioned by the Keep Kilkenny Beautiful volunteers and the Kieran Street Business Association to take the neglected empty lot across from Lautrec's and do something different with it to brighten the place up. I was very humbled to be asked to take a project like this on and admired everyone involved for being so open to my suggestions and ideas. It is really encouraging to have people in the city like this so open to new imaginative projects as I am sure not not everyone was down with having a giant Witch on the wall of their street.  The former city mayor  David Fitzgerald was incredible during the making of this and for that I thank him, a big supporter of the arts and youth projects In the city and I'm sure there will be more artistic devilment we'll get up to. I hope creating such a large mural in the heart of the city opens peoples minds and makes them want to do something with the derelict spaces that have been popping up over the past year or two. There are so many great artists  wanting to add colour to the streets and giving them support and the go ahead is all It takes. All you have to do Is ask.  We have enough with the grey skies and constant rain so why not bring new colour and imagination to the walls. I know from my experience painting over the week that everyone was excited to see something so large and different enter their space, kids were buzzed and tourists from all over we're so amused. If there are walls to lend us please get in contact and let me know. Be sure to raise your glass or clank a pint glass next time your in Kyteler's Inn to the Dame where she is still stealing mens hearts...literally. 

Bad Robot Art Experience at Gallery 1988

Pretty excited to be showing as part of the Bad Robot Art Experience In Gallery 1988 this coming Friday. From what I have seen so far the work Is proper beezer so much Abrams wonders all over the shop. 
I gotta tell ya this was a bitchin but hella difficult  to stick to one idea, there was just so much to choose from the Bad Robot collection. In the end I decided to go with one of my all time favourite Abram moments. Cloverfield. I just loved that build up, that was real cinema for me, that whole guessing game was genius and having the nod to Escape From New York with the Statue of Liberty head scraping up the street, I was turned to nerdy mush, just love it. 
So I got to thinking, I wonder what the clean up was like In NYC after Cloverfield? Would have been a bitch getting that decapitated Liberty head outta the street. Homeless peeps slept under it, got tagged and I'm sure at the start It was a terrifying sight but soon the greatest tourist attraction ever. So my diorama Is all about mid clean up. 
 The little characters are all nods to Bad Robots catalogue or Abrams inspirations. In the door way of the Bad Robot offices 'the National Typewriter Company' there chills JJ the man himself all geared up for his next big adventure. 
Under the vandalised Liberty head with a little homage to my favourite 1980s New York artist there is a collection of Bad Robot inspirations. The kids from Super 8, Snake from Escape from New York, Locke from LOST. Then there are other less unknowns. Like Rod Sterling the Twilight Zone writer who was a hero of Abrams. Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie which Abrams counts as one of the greatest movies ever. An ape from Planet of the Apes because wherever there is a decapitated Statue of Liberty Head you'll surely find these dudes hanging out. In the background you have Spock under the teleported lamp light examining a strange specimen. In a basement window you can see one of  Abrams favourite Horror movie stars and last but not least who the Daddy of big budget cinema at its best just make things tidy. Also looking very confused after talking to Tootsie Is Bryan Burk Bad Robots co creator, a man who can't be forgotten. 
I decided to house this diorama In a Tannen's Magic Mystery Box. This was an idea given to me by my buddy Mr Steve. I had not seen JJ Abrams Ted Talk where he brings this box to the stage explaining why its such a big deal. His Granddad gave it to him as a gift and he has never opened it, it was remained closed and a constant mystery and inspiration. So In a sense I guess I guessed whats Inside.   

The show opens this Friday and be sure to check out al the great work HERE on the Galleries website. Best of luck to all the artists I get to hang with, you guys are the bee's knee's. 

The Ghost Of Ray Brower

Was delighted to show my first piece with the great Bottleneck Gallery last Friday night for their 'When The Lights Go Out' show. I had been dying to make a Stand By Me piece for a long time so for this I made 'The Ghost Of Ray Brower'. When the lights go out his ghost glows following the 4 friends along the train tracks, he just wanted to be apart of the gang. Big thanks to the Bottleneck for been just awesome and all their feedback from the show and to the legend James Hance for becoming the new owner of my latest. 

NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE!

Been busy working on new commissions and gallery pieces. Here's one of my latest mini commissions. Its not everyday you get a commission asking you to make one of the most memorable scenes from Terminator 2. This was made for a cool loving girlfriend for her T2 loving fella. The Dyson family getting well freaked out by Jon Connor's new friend. As my friend Emily said why not just reveal a finger he had to be all dramatic and pull off a whole arm. If you would like a mini diorama made of your favourite film scene be sure to mail me at mickminogueart@gmail.com, I'd be happy to make it up, wrap it and send it your way.