There is something ethereal about the Ogham Wall installation at the V&A's softly lit Tapestry room. Which might feel like a bit of a paradox, when on close inspection visitors realise that each of the tall, upstanding fins that form the composition weigh up to 400 kg each. The installation, designed by Ireland's award-winning Grafton Architects for Irish Design 2015's inaugural presence at the London Design Festival, is also a masterful blend of the country's past and future design culture.
Commissioned by Irish Design 2015 - the country's initiative to promote Irish design internationally - to mark the first time the organisation shows during LDF, the monumental installation stretches almost three metres high.
The fins' patterns were inspired by the Irish Ogham alphabet, which dates back to approximately the 4th century and consisted of 23 letters - each paying tribute to a different tree species. The clusters of fins - each of them unique - relate to different letters in the alphabet. Similarly, the 23 fins each feature a relief hinting to the tree they represent and were masterfully crafted at the Dublin workshop of design, engineering and manufacturing company Graphic Relief.
The stone-like elements were made using special techniques and digital moulding to combine different stones, concrete and metal and create the visually rich and tactile relieves. Visitors are invited to touch and engage with the structure, which is securely set in place by steel beams and supports.
'The idea of the 'The Ogham Wall' is to translate the abstract 'musical rhythm and pattern of the ancient Irish Ogham script into a three-dimensional, architectural element,' explain Grafton's directors, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara.
The atmospheric exhibition will remain on display at the V&A until the 11th October and is only one of the several events Irish Design 2015 have planned during the capital's design celebration. The installation is scheduled to eventually return to Dublin, where it will find its permanent home.
The installation consists of 23 ’fins’, each representing a letter of the Irish Ogham alphabet, dating from approximately the 4th century
The fins were made out of a mix of stone, concrete and metal and the largest weighs about 400 kg
Graphic Relief used a special technique and digital moulding to create the intricate details
The end result is an atmospheric, rich and tactile installation, which the visitors are welcome to touch and engage with
INFORMATION
The Ogham Wall will be at the V&A until 11 October. Photography: Michael Paul
ADDRESS
Tapestry Room, V&A
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
-
Alexandre de Betak on getting lost to find himself in LondonAs the world-renowned artistic director opens his first personal studio in London during Frieze Week, Alexandre de Betak reflects on leaving the fashion runway behind to explore light, space and creative freedom
-
Step inside Faye Toogood's intimate cabinet of curiosities at PAD LondonFor PAD London 2025, (until 19 October) Faye Toogood presents The Magpie’s Nest with Friedman Benda
-
Vivo launches OriginOS 6, for a smooth and intelligent mobile experienceSuperior AI, next-level graphics and a seamless user experience make this Vivo’s most sophisticated operating system yet
-
A house on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast blends into the landscapeOn the Atlantic coast, Cruit Island’s craggy topography and wind-swept vegetation inspired the form and composition of this beachside family retreat in Donegal
-
2025 Expo Osaka: Ireland is having a moment in JapanAt 2025 Expo Osaka, a new sculpture for the Irish pavilion brings together two nations for a harmonious dialogue between place and time, material and form
-
‘Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence’ at the V&A is a bold explorationLondon’s V&A presents ‘Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence’, a deep dive into 1940s architectural influences within West Africa and India
-
Step inside the spirit world of Church of Oak's headquarters in IrelandNew Irish whiskey brand Church of Oak gets a headquarters with a strong identity designed by boutique studio ODOS Architects
-
Behind the V&A East Museum’s pleated façadeBehind the new V&A East Museum’s intricate façade is a space for the imagination to unfold
-
Young V&A crafted as a ‘joyful’ space for children and familiesYoung V&A opens in east London promising a ‘joyful’ experience for children of all ages
-
V&A's Tropical Modernism: a vivid look at architecture culture in newly independent GhanaSubtitled ‘Architecture and Power in West Africa’, V&A's 'Tropical Modernism' is a richly historical show at the 2023 Venice Biennale, perfectly aligned with the overarching theme of inclusion and exploration of modernism’s overlooked cultural impact
-
Escape to this off-grid artist studio on the Irish island of Inis OírrFor the aptly named Drop Everything cultural biennial, a perfect pod has popped up on the rocky headland of Inis Oírr, the smallest of the Aran Islands, located off the west coast of Galway
