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After launching a Limited Competition in 2008, Carl Doran was commissioned to undertake a project which would seek to respond to the emerging, new, intercultural communities in Ballymun.
Ballymun, a suburb of Dublin city undergoing one of the largest regeneration schemes in Europe, has also recently witnessed the cultural diversification of the town. The social fabric of Ballymun now suggests that 7% of the community are non-Irish – and by extension not historically from Ballymun – and while this figure is lower than the national average of 10% - this is a community which is set to grow rapidly over the coming years as more rental accommodation is developed as part of the regeneration plan to generate income for the region.
It was felt that a commission exploring this changing social fabric was appropriate and highly relevant at this time.
People's Postcard Project
Basing himself within the Civic Centre on 28 May, and at the Ballymun Farmer's Market on 4 June, Carl offered to make personalised postcards for passersby, which will now be sent to a recipient of their choice for free. He took photographs of the individuals on the day, which will form the front of the postcard. On 29 August 2009, after all the postcards were sent, Carl will hosted a one-day open culture event for all participants, friends, family and the greater Ballymun Community, to celebrate in a festival of food and music. This provided an opportunity for all to see copies of all the postcards made for the project. To coincide with this event, Carl commercially produced a postcard compiling images from across the project, including all the languages involved, which will serve as a memento of the project. These 3 'composite' postcards are available fro free from Breaking Ground.
Carl Doran’s practice has, over the last ten years, concentrated mainly on painting and drawing, and he has a keen interest in how to reach untapped and often overlooked audiences. He seeks to bring an immediate rapport between potential audiences, artworks, and the artist. He creates projects which often have a type of barter system between artist and audience.
Carl Doran postcard image from the Ballymun Farmers Market, June 2009
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