New Collections in My Caravan

I know everyone is curious to see the progress of my project.

I have continuously showcased the caravan since last year and am currently displaying it in the Butler Gallery, with two more upcoming opportunities to represent it this year. I have continued to add more collections. However, I have not yet updated my social media or blog to reflect these recent changes. So, I will share some updates now.

(1) Stuffed toys from the Irish animation “Puffin Rock”, which I bought in Kilkenny, and the British animation “Peppa Pig”.

(2) A hand-knitted Irish leprechaun, a wonderful gift from Sinead’s family, Julie O’Donnell (thank you so much, Julie!), and a hand-knitted doll based on a British Jean Greenhowe pattern.

(3) Irish RTÉ mascots: Talking Podge and Rodge, alongside British BBC CBeebies characters: Talking “Upsy Daisy” and “Ben” the Flowerpot Man.

(4) British “Harry Potter” and Irish “Saoirse”.

Irish Side

British side

(5) Irish racing horse Arkle and British racing horse Desert Orchid.

(6) A figure representing the British and Irish Lions.

The first object I installed on the border between the British and Irish sides is the British and Irish Lions figure.

(7) The RTÉ puppet Bosco and the Guinness mascot cartoon A Toucan, which is a gift from Sinead’s uncle, Christopher (thank you, Christopher), are displayed on the Irish side.

(8) I positioned the BBC Thunderbird puppet and the British cartoon character Robert Harrop’s Beano on the British side.

(9) An Irish donkey and a British donkey.

(10) A British Royal Doulton Toby Jug and an Irish Pirate Toby Jug.

(11) Pin badges from the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon and pin badges from the British animation “The Snowman”.

(12) A Kilkenny Castle fridge magnet.

Since I started leaving a donation box, I have realised that I will receive donations from many people, even if they are just small amounts. Thank you so much to my mother-in-law, Pauline O’Donnell, for suggesting leaving a donation box in my caravan!

Butler Gallery 5

I’m sorry that too many people are continuously coming to my caravan every day to share all the pictures. I selected 20 pictures from last week. Anyway, the event has been quite successful.

Butler Gallery 4

Due to representing my caravan in the outdoor area of the Butler Gallery, people naturally come to my caravan regularly. To showcase my caravan, I have always talked to the audience face-to-face, one by one, as a part of my socially engaged art practice to develop this project further, understanding cultural differences between Ireland and the UK. Since I have never exhibited it for a duration of one month, I have begun to feel quite exhausted. 

As the director of the local animation studio, Light House Studios, Gilly visited my caravan and recommended me the other day. I visited another local animation studio, Cartoon Saloon, that had received an Oscar nomination. I bought two merchandise products to display in my caravan.

As I found out, Kilkenny is a really attractive town for my residency. I need to allocate time to look around. During my day off, I visited Kilkenny Castle, which housed the Butler Gallery until six years ago.

I attached a new solar panel on the roof, which is practical for the project to maintain the battery level even if I showcase my caravan every day, like I am doing now.