Noel Brady Artist

With a background in architecture Noel is interested trans-disciplinary art with a particular focus on sculptural and land art. He has also worked in 2D paintings prints and photography.

Temple of the Laugh (1994) The Temple of the Laugh was a response to an international call for entries to address the esoteric idea of a temple that honoured laughter.  The sponsoring agency ‘The End’, located in Los Angeles, set about curating an international exhibition of imaginary works designed to respond to this theme.   This work hinged on a singular inspiration; the lyric ‘Saying, laughing and crying, You know it’s the same release,’ from People’s Parties Joni Mitchell (1974).





Fig 1 Temple of the Laugh – Site Plan
Fig 2 Temple of the Laugh – ‘The Temple’
Fig 3 Temple of the Laugh – ‘Court of Sorrows’

Dissemination and Critical Reception

The jury consisted of Thom Mayne, Wolf Prix, Eric Owen Moss and Arthur Ericsson.  Following the first stage I was invited to send a model for inclusion in the international exhibition in Los Angeles.

Exhibition

Selected for exhibition, Temple of Laughter Competition Los Angeles 13 – 31 May 1994

Conference Presentation Brady, N (2018), ‘Inside Out’, Res Publica, QUB, Belfast, 25 – 26 January 2018

Fig 4 Memorial – View

Memorial To The Victims Of Abuse While In Residential Care (2012) My entry into the international competition for the Memorial To The Victims Of Abuse While In Residential Care (2012) was one of five finalists.  The international competition was organised to choose a suitable memorial as part of a recommended legacy settlement to victims and to publicly atone for the damage caused by the state to generations of Irish citizens.  The official competition conditions facilitated the creation of alternative means of memorialisation had attracted 32 submissions from Irish and International Architects and Artists.

Fig 5 – Memorial – Maquette

Dissemination and Critical Reception

All five finalists were chosen for a special exhibited at the DARC space architectural gallery in Dublin.  The original jury report has not been issued as, according to the organisers, the process remains open.

Exhibition

Memorial To The Victims Of Abuse While In Residential Care (2012) DARC Space Architecture Gallery, Dublin, April-July 2012.

Publications Brady, N. (2014) The Impossible Memorial Dublin, 12 Publishers, Dublin.

WWI Washington Memorial (2015) The WWI Washington Memorial was an opportunity to utilise narrative and poetry as a device to convey the memory of a haunted, stark landscape of memory.  It included figurative pieces within an abstract landscape and sculptural strategies.  This competition entry was a variation on the theme of constructed landscape.  The design proposed stripping back Pershing Park to the bone, as a clearing among trees.  A new fractured ground was proposed at the centre consisting of granite blocks with grave-like proportions at different elevations. On this ground, 12 marble statues were proposed of infantry marching towards the front alongside tall oxidised steel trees which represented the destruction of the world.

Fig 6 WWI Memorial – Maquette showing the fractured landscape with denuded trees

Critical Reception

All 350 Stage 1 entries were published on the competition website and made available for public commentary. 

Exhibition

Stage 1 Online exhibition Exhibited in on-line catalogue WWI Memorial Washington Stage One submissions available at https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/stage-i-submissions-for-public-comment.html  [Accessed 9 January 2020].

Conference Presentation Brady, N (2018), ‘Inside Out’, Res Publica, QUB, Belfast, 25-26 January 2018.

Fig 7 WWI Memorial – Topography, Marble Soldier and Oxidised Trees

Horizon Series (2020) As part of an experiment into the use of armatures and devices, the horizon series was produced for the incognito Art Initiative in 2020. Though the methodology and technique is the same across each iteration the randomness is attributed to the different layering of paint and the specific qualities and quantities of distribution along a line.

Fig 8 Horizon A 150mm x 105mm

Fig 9 Horizon B 150mm x 105mm
Fig 10 Horizon C 150mm x 105mm

Bishop Lucey Park, Cork, Competition (2020) My entry (NJBA A+U) into the international competition for the repair, renewal and refurbishment of Bishop Lucey Park in Cork, is a work that closely resembles the idea of a work in the ‘expanded field’.  It takes the context as inspiration, or rather a hidden subterranean context of the ancient Burgage Plots.

Fig 11 – Bishop Lucey Park – Overview

Critical Reception

This entry was placed 3rd in the (international) competition which received 32 entries from Ireland and abroad.  The jury included, the Lord Mayor of Cork and four technical representatives of the local authority, and three independent architecture, landscape and urban design experts.  A detailed jury report has not been made available and the jury citation was brief in its assessment;

Jury Citation: ‘This is a scheme which superimposes a geometrical pattern on the site.  The genesis of this pattern is the burgage plot in plan and in section 3.6 meter high modular steel portals over-clad in timber and incorporating lighting.  This system provides architectonic order to the space.  Within this grid pattern public green spaces, paving areas, raised beds seating and the incorporation of Christchurch graveyard.  A café is introduced adjacent to the route on Tuckey Street. The judges were pleased to see a 3 dimensional grid concept explored.’

Exhibition

Due to COVID–19 restrictions there has not been an exhibition.

Publications

Competition Shortlist Architecture Ireland 312 July 2020 p.76 – 77

Fig 12 Bishop Lucey Park – Detailed View
Fig 13 – Bishop Lucey Park Fences
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