Overview

Winter Sun is a moving-image work by Cork artist Elinor O’Donovan. The work is a preserved piece of a warm Cork summer, saved for the months when it is most needed. Taking as its inspiration the iconic view from the top of Patrick’s Hill at Bells Field, the video work is a looping film depicting Corkonians sharing a moment of togetherness, connected by their mutual appreciation for a setting summer sun.

In 1750, when the Triskel Christchurch building was just twenty years old, Cork painter John Butts depicted the growing city of Cork in his painting “View of Cork from Audley Place”. The painting, which is part of the collection of Cork Crawford Art Gallery, depicts two different viewpoints of the city which the artist seamlessly blended into one panorama. The pink-ish tint to the sky suggests the setting is early evening, and in the foreground two men and a dog look out over the north side of the city. The vista depicted in Butts’ painting is a familiar sight for many Corkonians, and to fans of the film and TV series ‘The Young Offenders’ (as its used as a key location in both). For me, Audley Place (or what is generally referred to as Bell’s Field), is a place of respite. Often on summer evenings, I make the short walk from my house in St Luke’s up to Military Hill, then down towards Bell’s Field. Occasionally, I’ll go there in moments of stress, with something on my mind. When I sit on the grass and look out over the city, I find myself able to enjoy a moment of peace. On other occasions I visit Bell’s Field with friends, and we huddle together on a blanket (if we’ve remembered to bring one, that is) and point at all the landmarks we recognise. Once, I made the pilgrimage up Patrick’s Hill with an American who was new to Cork, determined to show him the best view of the city. Out of breath, but proud of the achievement of having walked up that hill, we were rewarded with a vibrant sunset.

“The last time I visited Bell’s Field, I was on my own, drawn there by an unusual cherry-red sunset. I was struck by the number of people who also felt a similar Bell-call; groups of Spanish students, young couples, dog-walkers, a family playing football, and lone passers-by all came to the top of Patrick’s Hill to share the view. I found it profound that though none of the separate groups of people or individuals likely knew each other, we were all connected by this particular act of sun-worship. John Butts’ painting serves as evidence that this view has sparked the imagination of Corkonians for the last 300 years. Winter Sun is a continuation of this tradition.”

Elinor O’Donovan

The Artist

Elinor O’Donovan

Elinor O’Donovan is a visual artist based in Cork City. In her work which spans filmmaking, digital collage, installation, drawing and sculpture she makes up playful answers to questions about knowledge, memory, and truth. Recent work includes ‘Got The Snip!’, a ping-pong table included in the exhibition ‘Wiff Waff is Playing at My Gaff’ at the Crawford Art Gallery; ‘Radio Solstice’, a temporary community radio station running throughout the Cork Midsummer Festival; and ‘The Immeasurable Grief of the Prawn’, a film and exhibition which premiered at GeneratorProjects, Dundee. In 2024, she was shortlisted for the Golden Fleece Award, Ireland’s largest prize for artists.

Location

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