Viking Quarter Waterford City
Thursday, October 7th, 2010
Port Láirge Waterford Vedrarfjordr
Founded in 914, Waterford is older than all the North European capitals except Paris and London. It is the only Irish city to retain its Viking place name – Vedrarfjordr – an Old Norse word meaning ‘haven from the windy sea’ or ‘winter port’. The Irish named the city, Port Láirge, the port of the thigh.
Róisín de Buitléar was commissioned by Waterford city council to create a signature piece for the newly developed plaza on the Mall, situated in front of the Waterford Crystal building in Waterford city centre. A minimal form using layers of glass light and steel are combined to create a contemporary sculpture. Layers of finely woven silk, drawings and embroidered threads illustrate the location of the Viking quarter and medieval areas of the city. The location is used as a gathering point for walking tours of the city. At night, the sculpture is illuminated revealing its transparency translucency and illusion of height.
Category : Public Art
