A new piece of public art has been sited at the N24 Cahir Road Roundabout, Ballingarrane, Clonmel Co. Tipperary. Capturing Clonmel’s cultural identity, Beelines is an artistic marker on a journey to or through the town.
Standing at 4.5 meters high, the sculpture acts as a permanent gateway to the town of Clonmel. Artist Kevin Killen uses cold rolled metal steel tubes to arrange a distinctive pattern that symbolises the energetic flight patterns of bees to create a contemporary flower-like form on a silver stem. The blue and ultraviolet colour tones of the flower are a reference to the sight of bees, in that bees see the ultraviolet end of the light spectrum. The metallic colours will change as the light changes, bringing a subtle mood to the artwork in all weathers. Similarly, the beautiful wild flowers and seasonal planting by Clonmel Borough District as it changes throughout the year will complement the artwork.
Clonmel has long been known as the Vale of Honey and the town’s traditional association with bees and honey inspired the “Flights of Discovery” concept, introduced in the Tipperary Tourism Proposition for Clonmel. Beelines responds to these ideas with a contemporary artwork that has relevance to the town.
Based in Belfast, artist Kevin Killen obtained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the Surrey Institute of Art and Design University College (now the UCA) in 1999 and completed specialist training in neon making in Dallas, Texas in 2009. His current practice focusses on capturing moments in time, representing life and people’s journeys as snapshots of moments, often site-specific. His sculptures have been commissioned by public bodies in Northern Ireland, the UK and USA and have received a number of accolades including the Sculpture Abstract Award of the American Arts in 2014.
Commissioned through a two-stage open submission competition, Beelines was funded by The OPW and Tipperary County Council as part of the Clonmel Flood Relief Scheme and developed in close cooperation with Clonmel Borough District.
Photo from left to right: Mayor Pat English, Artist Kevin Killen, District Administrator Carol Creighton, County Librarian Damien Dullaghan and Project Manager Vincent O'Shea.
