Jackie McKenna Biography
Jackie McKenna was born in Manorhamilton Co. Leitrim in 1958. She studied Fine Art in Sligo and completed her degree in Sculpture in Dun Laoghaire College of Art. Most of her work over forty years has been site specific large outdoor works through public commissions.
Her creative practice centres on social engagement, this includes participatory practice working with refugees, asylum seekers, prisoners, family carers within communities to evoke thoughtful responses to place, people and situations. Her most recent exhibition in the Dock in Carrick on Shannon reflects the intrinsic relationship between Art and Activism visible in her art practice.
Jackie has played a significant role in the development and promotion of the Arts in Ireland as an active member of the Sculpture Society of Ireland in the 1980’s, serving on the Cultural Relations Committee for eight years, and was also a co-founder of the Leitrim Sculpture Centre in 1997.
EDUCATION
1984 | Degree in Sculpture – Dun Laoghaire College of Art, Dublin |
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SELECTED PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
2020 | Loughshinney Yawl – Limestone & Stainless Steel Loughshinney Co Dublin
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2019 | Mo Cheoil Thu – Stainless Steel and Polished Concrete Music Path Mountains & Glens – Stone and Water Installation Manorhamilton Co Leitrim
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2018 | ‘Church Fields’ Limestone Monolith Ashbourne Co. Meath
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2016
| ‘Danu’ Stone Sculpture– Based on Tuatha De Danann: Drumshanbo Community Park |
2015-16 | ‘Ar Scath a Cheile a Mhaireann na Daoine’ Mirrored Stainless Steel Internally Lit Sculpture on Limestone Plinth, Ballinamore Community School
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2014 | Fused Glass Installation – Killybegs Coastguard Station – Office of Public Works
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2013
| Brian Stack – Bronze Bust, Irish Prison Service, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
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2012
| Irish Women Workers Union Commerative Wall Installation – Vitreous Enamel & Stone Liberty Hall, Dublin |
2011
| ‘Heberdonn‘ Stone Figure Longford
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2008-09
| ‘The Garden of Sound’ Public Garden, Culfadda, Sligo – Sculpture & Landscape Park |
2007 | U.N.I.F.I.L. Memorial Sligo – Stone
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2006 | Iarnrod Eireann, Dublin – Stone Wheel Fr. Tonra Memorial, Cootehall , Co. Roscommon, Public Commission – Stone
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2005 | ‘Train-Spotter’ Public Sculpture Bronze and Stone, Dromod, Co. Leitrim
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2004 | Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre – Giant Clam Shell with Constellations – bronze, stone, fibre optics
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2003 | ‘Ag Cru na Greinne’ – Sitting Cow – Life Size Bronze City Park, Wolfe Tone Street, Dublin
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2002 | William Butler Yeats Commerative Sculpture, Drumcliffe, Co Sligo. Bronze and Stone
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2001 | Madonna and Child – St. Mary’s Church, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim – bronze |
2000 | ‘New Beginnings’, Lough McNean sculpture trail, Glenfarne, Co Leitrim – Cross border Women’s project – stone and bronze |
1999 | ‘Sheaf of Wheat’, for Mayo County Council – Joint project with Seamus Dunbar and Eileen McDonagh – stone
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1998 | ‘Famine’, Public Sculpture for Ardcarne cemetery, Boyle, Co Roscommon – bronze
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1997 | ‘Goat’, Public Sculpture for Mayo County Council – Balla, Co Mayo – mosaic
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1996 | ‘Sun Worshippers’, Community School, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim – stone
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1995 | ‘Teaghlach’ (Family), Dromahair, Co Leitrim – stone
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1994 | Corlea Bog Centre, Co Westmeath – commissioned by the Office of Public Works – wood
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1992 | ‘Pilgrim’, Clonmacnoise, Co Westmeath commissioned by the Office of Public Works – wood
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1991 | ‘First Step’, Kiltimagh Town Square, Co Mayo – wood
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1990 | ‘Age to Age’, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim – bronze and stone
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1989 | ‘Joseph Mary Mooney’, Drumshanbo Interpretative Centre, Co Leitrim – bronze Bust Padre Pio, Skerries, Co Dublin – resin stone
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1988 | ‘Meeting Place’ – Celebrating Dublin’s Millennium, Liffey Street, Dublin – commissioned by Allied Irish Banks – bronze and stone
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1987 | ‘The Bargain’, Moate Town Square, Co Westmeath – wood
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SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
SEP-DEC 2021 | The Dock, Carrick on Shannon Co Leitrim Group exhibition (with artists Bassam al Sabah and Atoosa Pour Hosseini) Focuses on themes of Shelter, Food, Water, Agriculture, Community & Environment within the context of injustice centred on a Bedouin community in the West Bank in Occupied Palestine.
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2018 | ‘My Daily Bread – Preserving the Sacred’ Leitrim Sculpture Centre, LSC Residency Project
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2018 | ‘Our Lives In Print’ Leitrim Sculpture Centre – Visual Creative Diary of Day to Day Lives with 24/7 Family Carers supported by CREATE
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2008 | Solo Exhibition, The Dock, Carrick on Shannon Co Leitrim
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2007 | R.H.A. Dublin – Annual Exhibition |
SELECTED COLLABORATIONS
2022 | ‘EgggE hUUUs’ with Tara Baoth Mooney & Eion Kilfeather
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2022 | ‘Al Risan Art Museum, Heart of Palestine’ with Fidaa Ataya
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2021 | ‘One of Many’ with Amir Abualrob
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2020 | ‘Speaking of Which’ Artists Interview: The Dock Celebrating Ten Years
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2020 | ‘Home is a Sacrifice Zone’ by film maker Johnny Gogan, 65th Cork International Film Festival
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2018 | ‘Who Cares’ Report Documenting the Lives of Carers in North Leitrim and Barriers to Achieving a Good Quality of Life
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2014 | ‘Jimmy’s Hall’ Drama Film directed by Ken Loach
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2012 | ‘Jimmy Gralton’s Dancehall’ with Benbo Productions. Collaboration through art, theatre, music and dance of the spirit of Leitrim’s Jimmy Gralton
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SOCIALLY ENGAGED PROJECTS
2018 | Intercultural Workshop with Leitrim Intercultural Forum at Leitrim Sculpture Centre
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2017 | Art & Activism Symposium West Bank Palestine
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2016 | Community Collaboration Sculpture Workshops with Breffni Family Resource Centre Carrick on Shannon
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2009-2013 | Peace III Cavan Peace Partnership – Artist in Prison Scheme
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2000 | Cross Border Women’s Project – Shankill – Belfast, Tallaght – Dublin and Leitrim Women’s Group with Shanty Dublin |
SELECTED EDUCATIONAL BASED APPOINTMENTS
1997 – ON-GOING | Part-time Tutor/Masterclasses Leitrim Sculpture Centre
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2015-ON-GOING | Artist in Schools Scheme Community School Carrick on Shannon, Leitrim Student Portraits – Educational project developing portraits
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2013 | Stone Masterclass for LiveCraft at Leitrim Sculpture Centre
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2006 | Educational Advisor to BA Arts Students NUI Galway on visual arts practice in the West and related creative industries.
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2003 | Masterclass Tutor for Fire Station Artist’s Studios Dublin
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2002 | Part-time Tutor National College of Art & Design Dublin
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1995-1997 | Part-time Tutor Galway Institute of Technology
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SYMPOSIA
1992 | International Sculpture Symposium in Kiltimagh
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1990 | Stone Symposium, Osaka, Japan
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1986 | Wood Symposium, Letterfrack, Co Galway
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1985 | Wood Symposium, Hazelwood, Co Sligo
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RELATED PROFESSIONAL ROLES
2004- ON-GOING | Working Committee Member North Leitrim Print Studios
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2003 | Committee Member for Irish Participation in the Venice Biennale
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2002 | Committee Member for Irish Participation in the Sao Paulo International Exhibition
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1994 -2004 | Member Cultural Relation Committee Department of Foreign Affairs
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1996-2001 | Arts Committee Member Leitrim Partnership Board
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1997 | Co-Founder Leitrim Sculpture Centre
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1995 | Development of Community Arts Programme with the Leitrim Partnership Board
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1993 | Developed Community Arts Programme ‘An Dara Cheim’ IRD Kiltimagh
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