GMIT Letterfrack initiative to showcase Irish designers' work at seven Galway locations
GMIT Letterfrack is undertaking an exciting public initiative, with support from Irish Design 2015, which will see seven large display boxes put on permanent public exhibition in prominent locations around Galway City to promote Irish Design.
The initiative, called ‘Galway Design Box’, will see each box house an Irish designer’s work on a rotating basis for a period of four months. Design categories will include ceramics, fashion, furniture, industrial design, jewellery, medical devices, millinery and textiles among others. An all-inclusive approach will illustrate the breath of design work created in Ireland.Galway Design Box is an ambitious project that will last well beyond the Year of Irish Design 2015, one that will further promote Galway as a centre of creative excellence, design and innovation.
The concept and design, the brainchild of GMIT Letterfrack design lecturers Davin Larkin and Jeremy Madden, will create a platform for design like no other city in Ireland.The true catalyst was the ambition to engender design awareness amongst the general public. To do this, a number of key locations have been chosen throughout Galway city which cater for a wide section of the city inhabitantsas well as visitors.A Galway Design Box will be installed in University Hospital Galway, GMIT, Galway Coach Station, City Library, Galway County Council Offices, Eyre Square Shopping Centre and Galway Museum.
Davin Larkin says “This is not just an exhibition, it is an experience spread across seven key locations in Galway City. Our ultimate goal is to roll out 12 boxes throughout Galway City and County and each will be named after one of the iconic Twelve Bens of Connemara.While each boxis a prominent design piece in its own right, the initial design artefacts displayed have been selected to portray the wealth and diversity of designers linked to Galway. We see this as a terrific opportunity for established and emerging designers to promote themselves and to raise awareness amongst the general public of design and the role design plays in society and the community. There will be an application process for those wishing to display pieces in the future and anyone interested can go to www.galwaydesignbox.comto apply.“
Dermot O’Donovan, Head of GMIT Letterfrack, says: “This is a truly unique and innovative concept for promoting design in the west of Ireland. It will help to further endorse Galway as a centre for design, creativity and innovation and act as a stimulus for others to learn about and from design. The seven design boxes, made by a company in Letterfrack, are exquisite, custom-made display cases that will become beacons for design throughout Galway city. I would encourage people to make a point of visiting the many accessible locations and be inspired by the amazing talents of designers in our region.”
The launch will be held in the Offices of Galway County Council, Prospect Hill, on Thursday, 5 November,at 7pm during Galway Design Week.
GMIT Letterfrack, the Centre for Excellence in Furniture Design & Technology, has been synonymous with the study of furniture design since 1987. The campus offers honours degrees specialising in Furniture Design and Manufacture; Furniture and Wood Technology; and teacher education (Construction Studies and DCG). GMIT graduates are recognised for their innovative, creative and responsive approach to projects. They frequently win and feature in shortlists for national and international awards. Visit www.gmit.ie(Letterfrack Campus).
Irish Design 2015 (www.irishdesign2015.ie ) is a multi-body collaboration to start a job creation journey exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design and designers through events and activities within Ireland and abroad. Galway Design Week is a contemporary design festival based in Galway city and county, which takes place from 2 to 8 November, 2015.The week will host exhibitions, workshops, Design talks, meet the maker series, pop-up fairs, a fashion trail and networking and evening events.
