GARDEN OF THE TÁIN
The First Irish Garden in China
by John Ketch landscape architect & Fion Gunn artist
Status: ongoing
MISSION
To build a garden with incorporated art works and literary reference in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics based on the legend of the Táin Bó Cuailgne which will be internationally recognised and acclaimed.
LOCATION
—Located in the new, high profile Chaoyang Park which is in the Business and Embassy quarter of Beijing.
—Chaoyang Park was one of the venues for the Olympic Games.--
The Garden will be situated on the western side of Chaoyang Park
To build a garden with incorporated art works and literary reference in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics based on the legend of the Táin Bó Cuailgne which will be internationally recognised and acclaimed.
LOCATION
—Located in the new, high profile Chaoyang Park which is in the Business and Embassy quarter of Beijing.
—Chaoyang Park was one of the venues for the Olympic Games.--
The Garden will be situated on the western side of Chaoyang Park
BACKGROUND
Kinsella’s Táin was the inspiration behind the design of this unique garden which blends Irish landscape & legend with a Chinese aesthetic. The Táin project is a unique opportunity to examine the Irish Landscape through the lens of historic literature, facilitated by Thomas Kinsella’s translation from Gaelic to English.
It is also an 'art garden' in the truest sense, its forms inspired by the sculptures, Gateways and Viewing screens, infusing the visitor's 'journey' with lyrical meaning and surprising juxtapositions and perspectives.
The challenge of designing a garden that will become an inclusive amenity at Chaoyang Park (in the business/embassy district of Beijing) has been taken up by Fion Gunn, an artist experienced in understanding and interpreting the value of functioning urban spaces and John Ketch & Associates who have particular expertise in producing functioning outdoor spaces which are integrated in the surrounding landscape and based on careful observation of the natural environment. Ketch & Gunn are assisted by Mr Pan Yiqun a renowned sculptor from Tsinghua Academy of Art & Crafts in Beijing.
The Garden of the Táin is designed to provide easy access for people in wheelchairs or with mobility issues and also for the visually impaired through the planting, accessibility of the sculptures and plaques in Braille. It will also encompass contemporary environmental practice with an emphasis on sustainability, renew-ability and ecological appropriateness.
Kinsella’s Táin was the inspiration behind the design of this unique garden which blends Irish landscape & legend with a Chinese aesthetic. The Táin project is a unique opportunity to examine the Irish Landscape through the lens of historic literature, facilitated by Thomas Kinsella’s translation from Gaelic to English.
It is also an 'art garden' in the truest sense, its forms inspired by the sculptures, Gateways and Viewing screens, infusing the visitor's 'journey' with lyrical meaning and surprising juxtapositions and perspectives.
The challenge of designing a garden that will become an inclusive amenity at Chaoyang Park (in the business/embassy district of Beijing) has been taken up by Fion Gunn, an artist experienced in understanding and interpreting the value of functioning urban spaces and John Ketch & Associates who have particular expertise in producing functioning outdoor spaces which are integrated in the surrounding landscape and based on careful observation of the natural environment. Ketch & Gunn are assisted by Mr Pan Yiqun a renowned sculptor from Tsinghua Academy of Art & Crafts in Beijing.
The Garden of the Táin is designed to provide easy access for people in wheelchairs or with mobility issues and also for the visually impaired through the planting, accessibility of the sculptures and plaques in Braille. It will also encompass contemporary environmental practice with an emphasis on sustainability, renew-ability and ecological appropriateness.
ENDORSEMENTS
Former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) praises project
‘I appreciate your efforts to promote Irish Arts in China and your achievements to date in building artistic and cultural bridges between our two countries. I wish you every success with your current project.’ (Taoiseach, Bertie Aherne – October 2007)
‘The success of any collaborative cultural project, of course, depends largely on the individuals involved and the extent to which they cooperate and strive together to achieve their goal. Fion Gunn's collaborative venture on the Táin Garden project is a prime example of a long-term project, which involves working in a different environment and developing close working relationships with people from a different cultural background. In this project, inspired by Irish mythology, Fion Gunn, together with Irish landscape architect John Ketch is collaborating with Tsinghua Academy of Arts to realise an Irish garden landscape with artworks.
It is a fascinating and timely project, I am confident that this project will gain the appreciation worldwide that it rightly deserves.’
Seamus Brennan, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Republic of Ireland
‘I very much welcome Ms Fion Gunn’s work, in conjunction with Irish landscape architect John Ketch, and Chinese sculptor Pan Yiqunto create an Irish garden landscape embedded with artworks. The project mirrors closely the story of the ‘Táin Bó Cuailnge’ (or Cattle Raid of Cooley), which is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest epic tales from the 8th Century.
Ms Gunn and her colleague John Ketch, in conceptualising and carrying this project forward have clearly demonstrated great innovativeness, vision and artistic skill. The garden’s integration of both Irish and Chinese artistic motifs, as well as the combination of new and ancient, will, I’m sure, make this project a very vibrant and relevant piece of work in both Ireland and China. I wish the designers every success with their well advanced plans for this project.
I also welcome the translation into the Chinese language Thomas Kinsella’s own famous translation of the ‘Táin Bó Cuailnge’. Its publication in China will further add to the rich collection of Irish works already translated into the Chinese language.’
Declan Kelleher Ambassador of Ireland to the People’s Republic of China
“As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism in Ireland I am delighted to see the cultural connections between Ireland and the Peoples Republic of China continually grow and strengthen since the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between our two countries in 2001 which provides for the strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries and to the promotion of mutual knowledge and understanding by means of co-operation in the field of culture.
Initiatives such as the collaborative project, the ‘Garden of the Táin’ by Fion Gunn inspired by Irish mythology are representative of the close long term working relationships we wish to foster between Irish and international artists.
It is undoubtedly an ambitious project which Fion Gunn is working on in conjunction with Irish landscape architect John Ketch, and Chinese sculptor Pan Yiqun to create an Irish garden landscape embedded with art works in Beijing.
I wish this project the success it deserves and look forward to ongoing cultural dialogue between Ireland and the People’s Republic of China and the continuing exploration of possibilities for promoting and enhancing cultural exchanges between our two countries.”
John O’Donoghue, T.D. Ceann Comhairle (Speaker of the House) and former Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Former Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) praises project
‘I appreciate your efforts to promote Irish Arts in China and your achievements to date in building artistic and cultural bridges between our two countries. I wish you every success with your current project.’ (Taoiseach, Bertie Aherne – October 2007)
‘The success of any collaborative cultural project, of course, depends largely on the individuals involved and the extent to which they cooperate and strive together to achieve their goal. Fion Gunn's collaborative venture on the Táin Garden project is a prime example of a long-term project, which involves working in a different environment and developing close working relationships with people from a different cultural background. In this project, inspired by Irish mythology, Fion Gunn, together with Irish landscape architect John Ketch is collaborating with Tsinghua Academy of Arts to realise an Irish garden landscape with artworks.
It is a fascinating and timely project, I am confident that this project will gain the appreciation worldwide that it rightly deserves.’
Seamus Brennan, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Republic of Ireland
‘I very much welcome Ms Fion Gunn’s work, in conjunction with Irish landscape architect John Ketch, and Chinese sculptor Pan Yiqunto create an Irish garden landscape embedded with artworks. The project mirrors closely the story of the ‘Táin Bó Cuailnge’ (or Cattle Raid of Cooley), which is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest epic tales from the 8th Century.
Ms Gunn and her colleague John Ketch, in conceptualising and carrying this project forward have clearly demonstrated great innovativeness, vision and artistic skill. The garden’s integration of both Irish and Chinese artistic motifs, as well as the combination of new and ancient, will, I’m sure, make this project a very vibrant and relevant piece of work in both Ireland and China. I wish the designers every success with their well advanced plans for this project.
I also welcome the translation into the Chinese language Thomas Kinsella’s own famous translation of the ‘Táin Bó Cuailnge’. Its publication in China will further add to the rich collection of Irish works already translated into the Chinese language.’
Declan Kelleher Ambassador of Ireland to the People’s Republic of China
“As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism in Ireland I am delighted to see the cultural connections between Ireland and the Peoples Republic of China continually grow and strengthen since the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between our two countries in 2001 which provides for the strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries and to the promotion of mutual knowledge and understanding by means of co-operation in the field of culture.
Initiatives such as the collaborative project, the ‘Garden of the Táin’ by Fion Gunn inspired by Irish mythology are representative of the close long term working relationships we wish to foster between Irish and international artists.
It is undoubtedly an ambitious project which Fion Gunn is working on in conjunction with Irish landscape architect John Ketch, and Chinese sculptor Pan Yiqun to create an Irish garden landscape embedded with art works in Beijing.
I wish this project the success it deserves and look forward to ongoing cultural dialogue between Ireland and the People’s Republic of China and the continuing exploration of possibilities for promoting and enhancing cultural exchanges between our two countries.”
John O’Donoghue, T.D. Ceann Comhairle (Speaker of the House) and former Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism