Artist Annemarie Bourke is the prompt to these calculations, making play of the chronology of Limerick in her creation of a lasting art project for the city and involving its citizens. Titled 12-12-12, the series of canvases will be revealed at 12noon on December 12, 2012 in Plassey House, UL. University of Limerick has committed to buying the collection for its collection on campus.
“My 12-12-12 series is 12 oil paintings of Limerick, a special original collection that records Limerick life in 2012, Annemarie explains.
She’s in her basement gallery and studio at 98 O’Connell Street, an inviting space of red and copper tones, the walls lined by numerous paintings. A professional painter and teacher (in Limerick and Provence), she is skilled in still life, cityscapes, landscapes, the human form and uses various media, being at ease with watercolour, acrylics, oils, canvas, linens and board.
Why commit to painting a dozen canvases of our walled city in its present hour?
“This is a very important collection to me so I am really thrilled that the university is going to buy it. I was never going to sell 12-12-12 as I want the works to stay together and to stay in Limerick. To me, it is important to show Limerick in a positive light and I am compiling an illustrated book to go with the creation of the series. There will be 12 copies only of the book. You can go online at www.12-12-12-limerick.com to follow the paintings’ progress and I am asking people for submissions of poetry, stories, memories, observations related to the paintings, for publication in the 12-12-12 illustrated book”.
The whole concept is to chronicle Limerick as we know it today.
“To this end, I am painting aspects of Limerick, industrial Limerick, recreational, educational, sporting, literary Limerick and so on. Therefore, the 12-12-12 collection becomes a historical record of the city in our time”.
Go online at www.12-12-12-limerick.com to follow works and drop a line with appropriate text or call to Annemarie Bourke at her gallery. Special mention to those who have committed support for this original and engaging visual narrative of our city: Barry Gallagher of sponsors Epson Digigraphie; UL arts officer Yvonne Davis; GraceTec webdesign.
