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M O N U M E N T S  

"at the epicentre of art is the need for human significance, without it art is purely decoration."  

“MONUMENTS is an artwork that explores reality, history and emotion, that speaks to people without words, impacting on the eye, the mind and the senses. I want to create an artwork that can be consciously experienced like the natural emotion that comes from looking at the horizon. An artwork that encourages the mind and senses to realise that the subject is humanity and the outcome is a process of healing and positive progress.”

MONUMENTS sees world architectural heritage and humanity as one. It does not separate the architecture from the people, the reasons from the cause, its does not put forward value judgements but an understanding and expression of humanity and the human condition.

MONUMENTS focuses upon iconic sites that have become important because of the People that created them, for good or for evil. MONUMENTS could be shown in a number of places Internationally and progress has been made in that direction, i.e., Berlin, New York and Liverpool. The architecture identified may be better expressed by calling them Standing Stones, as in some cases they hardly exist, sometimes they are just memories but all are iconic. Every period in history leaves behind its monuments, its Standing Stones, its architectural legacy, revealing  symbols of a turbulent past, the passion, the glory, the self-destruction and the drive for immortality. Think of Standing Stones you think of Stonehenge, a 5000 year old structures built at any cost to test ideas, power, authority, to apply visions upon others. Nothing has changed, think of the Twin Towers, the Berlin Wall and Auschwitz, whether they are still standing or not, they are contemporary Standing Stones. Think of the Standing Stones of Empire, Industry, Religion, Politics and so on, icons to humanity, monuments to a multi-layered past, an architectural legacy that reveals and symbolising the history and humanity of the People that created them.

The REALITY:

MONUMENTS will be a series of standing stones, within a standing stone, within a standing stone. Monuments within a Monument within a Monument. An iconic landmark building will house a Monumental Structure standing approximately 30ft long, 20ft wide and 12ft high with walls up to 2ft thick, its dynamics exploiting the visual contrast and impact within a landmark environment. Inside the Structure will be large scale unique artworks realising the essence of the human form, human condition and humanity.

“The “MONUMENTS” artwork is the Building, the Structure and the Paintings, it becomes one.”

Duffy has pared back the layers of the collective unconscious  which surround the enduring fascination we as a species have with monumental structures and allowed us to see their real strength and purity.  We are fascinated instead in his images not by symbol but by how truly awesome a monument is in itself. The pure monument resonates on an abstract level, by and for itself, without delusion without meaning – it  just is.  Ian Fergus Hamilton 2006.

Terry Duffy 2007