Forming Spaces
Holger has worked on sculpture for the public domain both in urban and rural contexts in Ireland since 1998. Besides sculpture commissioned by civic councils, he worked on public art in rural and urban communities all over Ireland and the UK. His favoured material, bronze, is widely associated with sculpture in the open. Using ancient and sustainable technology offers community groups an opportunity to experience bronze casting methods that are otherwise highly specialised and unaccessible. While Holger's expertise is creating sculpture in bronze, he works in collaboration with artist, architects and consultants where a broader approach to media and materials (Cor-ten, steel and concrete) is required. Together with Niall O'Neil (Ireland) and Antony Lyons (UK) he formed Deiseal in 2005 and has worked with the Florence-based architects Federico Curletto and Paolo Lucattini as SculptArk on projects that cross-over between sculpture and architecture.
Commissioned Projects |
Collaborative Projects | Community Engagement
Consultants and Contractors
Through working with well established engineers, fabricators and consultants, Holger has delivered public art projects that range from €3k to over €100k. Partnerships in past projects include:
Cultural Management Services, Donaghadee
Donal Lynch, (Horgan Lynch Ltd.) structural engineering
Ove Arup Group Ltd., Belfast
Apex Engineering, Coalisland
Uniqrete Ltd., Mountrath
Kilmainham Art Foundry, Dublin
Castle Fine Arts Foundry, Oswestry
Commissioned Projects
Holger has worked on publically funded commissions for local councils, corporate clients and community organisations, both of temporary and permanent nature in Ireland and the UK. Temporary site specific work was publically exhibited at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and The Eden Project. Clients for the public domain in both steel and bronze include Coleraine Borough Council, South Lough Neagh Regeneration Association, Craigavon Borough Council, Cavan County Council and Armagh District Council.
2011 Public sculpture for Coalisland Library
2011 Public sculpture for Causeway Hospital, Coleraine
2010 Shortlisted for Scotswood Village Green, Newcastle-upon-Tyne commission
2011 Public sculpture for Iontas Theatre, Castleblaney
2011 Public sculpture for Portrush (Project Website)
2010 Public sculpture for Maghery, Co. Armagh (Information Page)
2010 Shortlisted for Ballycastle/Rathlin commission
2010 Shortlisted for Newcastle West sculpture commission
2010 Public sculpture commission for Armagh City (Information Page)
2010 Shortlisted for Newry, Ballybot commission
2010 Shortlisted for Belfast City Hall artwork
2010 Shortlisted for Newry Historic Canal feature sculpture
2008 Public sculptures for Oxford Island National Nature Reserve
2006 Public sculpture for Kinnego Marina, Co. Armagh
2005 Public sculpture for Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan
2003 City Neighbourhoods perpetual award trophy, Dublin
2003 Shortlisted for public art commission at the Hurst, Shropshire
2001 Shortlisted for public art commission in Navan, Co. Meath
1998 Trophies for Cinemagic film awards, Belfast
1998 Shortlisted for public sculpture commission in Irvinestown
Collaborative Projects
As part of the artist's collaborative Deiseal, Holger has been involved in public art projects in Co. Limerick. Managed by Limerick County Council, work is sited at the archaeologically significant site of Lough Gur. Seven path markers made of Corten steel and bronze are inspired by local archaeology, geology and folklore. The group completed two further large- scale public commissions for the N7 Limerick tunnel and M7 by-pass for Limerick County Council in 2010.
2010 Public sculptures for N7 and M7, both Co. Limerick (Deiseal)
2009 Shortlisted for An Nasc commission, Belfast (with Deiseal)
2008 Public sculpture commission for Lough Gur (Deiseal)
2008 Shortlisted for N8 Mitchelstown Bypass (with Deiseal)
Community Engagement
Community engagement is an integral part of creating work in the public domain, enhancing the concept of the work and pride of place as well as creating a sense of ownership of the work by the community. Holger is experienced in public consultation processes as part of publicly funded art projects and commissions and has delivered workshops and demonstrations involving local communities of all age groups and social backgrounds. He has worked with voluntary groups on public art in rural and urban communities all over Ireland and the UK aiming to:
- allow better access to and understanding of contemporary public art
- raise awareness of environmental sustainability
- develop a sense of place and awareness of local cultural identity
-
introduce transferable skills in rural and urban communities
Public projects involve three integral stages of engagement including consultation & liaison, research & development as well as community informatio.
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