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MICHAEL BULFIN

Michael Bulfin (1939 - ) is a sculptor, painter and graphic artist living and working in Dublin, Ireland. He is the son of Eamon Bulfin and grandson of the writer William Bulfin.

Born in Birr, Co. Offaly in December 1939, he was educated at University College Dublin and Yale University, Connecticut, USA. He was awarded a German Government Scholarship in 1965 to study at a research laboratory in Hamburg, Germany German Academic Exchange Service ( Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst DAAD). He has practiced as both a scientist and as an artist all his life.

His artistic career has been greatly influenced by the imagery he has encountered in his scientific career as well as by landscape and natural phenomena like the rainbow. While not his field he has followed with interest developments in astronomy, cosmology and nuclear physics. As well as these influences his paintings and graphics, in particular, have been influenced by three different sources of scientific imagery:

1)his earlier work was influenced by astronomical images of suns and gas clouds as seen through astronomical telescopes, 2) the multicolored patterns of thin sections of minerals, viewed under polarised light,which he studied in Germany, "which yielded abstract imagery of wondrous colour" andshape, 3)satellite and air photo imagery of the earth's surface which revealed shapes, colours and forms in the landscape unseen from the surface.

For his contribution to the Arts he was elected as a foundation member of Aosdana in 1981. Aosdana was established by the Irish Government, through the Arts Council of Ireland, "to honour artists whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the arts in Ireland" (1). His work is referenced in most of the books on contemporary Irish art published in the last 30 years.(2)(3)(4)(5).

He has had a lifelong dedication to contributing to the work of voluntary arts organisations. In 1967 he joined Project Arts Centre and was elected Chairman (Executive Chairman) of Project from 1973 -1976. During his chairmanship of Project Arts Centre he moved the location of Project from its third temporary base on South King Street to its now permanent home on Essex Street in Temple Bar (6),(7). He served as chairman of the Sculptors' Society of Ireland (now Visual Artists Ireland) from 1984 to 1992. In 1988 he was Chairman and chief organiser - for the Sculptors' Society - of the International Conference on Sculpture, Dublin - the first of its kind held in Europe. The three day conference - held in Trinity College, Dublin - was attended by over 400 delegates from 38 countries (8) (9). He has been on the advisory committees of various public art institutions including Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane. He has been External Examiner for a number of Irish Art Colleges. He has written and lectured about Land Art.

This article concentrates on his achievements as an artist.

EXHIBITIONS

International Exhibitions

He was chosen to represent Ireland in a number of International Exhibitions over the years:

He was the sole artist to represent Ireland at the Biennale de Paris  in 1971.

He was also invited to participate in representative exhibitions of Irish art abroad including:

Aos Óg, Paris (1973);

Cork ROSC (1980);

A Sense of Ireland, London (1980);

Skulptur Biennale, King's Garden, Copenhagen (1990);

Parable Island, Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool (1991);

"Echoes of the Past- Traces of the Future" Kraakamarken Art in Nature, Sculpture Symposium, Aarhus, Denmark (1993).

Ljubljana Festival, Slovenia, Fine Art Painting Colony (Symposium) 2013

Solo Exhibitions

He has held solo shows in Project Arts Centre, Dublin and and in the gallery of Arus an Chontae (headquarters of the Offaly County Council) other private galleries and art centres throughout Ireland, where he has exhibited both sculpture and paintings.

Group Exhibitions

His work has appeared in over 100 exhibitions including many major group exhibitions including: Irish Exhibition of Living Art (yearly from 1966-75); Oireachtas Exhibition on a number of occasions; Independent Artists (invited artist) and many Sculptor Society of Ireland exhibitions (from 1982 to 1992); He was an Invited Artist to many regional Arts Festivals including the Boyle Arts Festival; the West Cork Sculpture Trail, Aer Rianta "Gateway" Exhibitions (10). He has both organised and participated in numerous Sculptor Society of Ireland Sculpture Symposia in concrete, steel and land art(11). He has recently organised an exhibition of members of Eamon Bulfin which included 11 family members(16).

PUBLIC ART

His sculpture - exemplified by the Crystic Series of sculptures shown in Living Art Exhibitions - was influenced by the organic crystal shapes seen during his organic chemistry classes in university. The Electron Spin series (as seen in the OPW HQ sculpture in Trim) is based on his interpretation of the spin and movement of atomic particles as they spin around the nucleus. The 'Reflections' series (Bank of Ireland Baggot Street, Dublin) is based on the path traced by light reflected from different surfaces surrounding the site of the sculpture. Of the Bank of Ireland piece Monaghan and O'Cuiv said it was "the best example of modern sculpture in Dublin" (12).

Urban

His commissioned works in urban settings are listed below:

Bank of Ireland HQ., Baggot St., Dublin.

Garda Siochána HQ., Monaghan, Co, Monaghan.

Castlebar, Dublin Road Roundabout, Co. Mayo, Per Cent for Art competition.

Dublin South County Council HQ Building, Per Cent for Art competition.

Office Public Works (OPW) HQ, Trim. Co. Meath.

"A Walk Among Stone" Ballymun, Dublin Millenium Sculpture Symposium.

His competition winning piece A Walk Among Stone in Ballymun, Dublin, won the Concrete Society of Ireland Sculpture Award in 1990. (This piece was subsequently irreparably damaged while being removed during the regeneration of the Ballymun district).

Land Art

His scientific qualifications in environmental science, and land use, which have given him a deep knowledge of landscape, landform, geology and soil drew him inevitably to the whole field of Land art also called Environmental art / Site-specific sculpture (and referred to as 'Art in Nature' in continental Europe). The pieces he contributed to this movement allowed him to combine both his scientific and artistic disciplines. As well as some small pieces he has contributed pieces to several Major Irish and European land art and environmental art symposia and projects. In these works he has combined grass covered earthworks of clay with additions of stone or large found boulders to develop an integrated whole. He has attempted to fit rather than impose his works into the landscape. Of his work at Kraakamarken in Denmark Ronnau says "Mike Bulfin has created a work whose proportions are created specifically for the site and fitted into the landscape with great care. An accentuation of what is already a a very beautiful patch of natural terrain" (13). Of the sculpture in Castlewellan Forest Park Darren Anderson states "'Dreams and Stones' by Michael Bulfin provides a focal point for contemplation of the lake and landscape" (14). Of his work at Fallmore, County Mayo Bulfin says

The Stone is a part of the landscape. It was always here. I have just - in a sense - rearranged it. (15)

,These Land Art works include:

Our Shining Future Emerges?, West Cork Sculpture Trail,

Saurian Echos, Slate Quarries Sculpture Symposium, Ahenny, County Kilkenny;

Dreams and Stones, Castlewellan Forest Park, Castlewellan, County Down, Northern Ireland;

Deirbhile's Twist, Tir Saile, Mayo 5000 Sculpture Symposium, County Mayo

Echoes of the past - Traces of the Future, Kraakamarken 'Art in Nature', Aarhus, Denmark;

Time Alone is Changeless, Sculpture in Woodland, Devil's Glen, Ashford, County Wicklow;

Sky Train, Lough Boora, Sculpture Park, County Offaly Sculpture in the Parklands.

COLLECTIONS

He has work in many public and private collections including: Bank of Ireland; Voluntary Health Insurance Board collection; Office of Public works HQ; IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art: Gordon Lambert Collection); Kildare County council and many overseas collections.

REFERENCES

1. Aosdana.Arts Council.ie (see membership list and mission statement via external link)

2. Knowles, Roderic., Contemporary Irish Art, The Lilliput Press, p 136, 1982 ISBN 0-86327-001-8.

3. Walker, Dorothy., Modern Art in Ireland, The Lilliput Press, p 56,82-83,83,85, 1997, ISBN 1 874675 96 1 deluxe.

4. Barber, Fiona, The Arts in Ireland since 1910, Reaktion Books Ltd., p190, 2013; ISBN 971 178023 0368.

5. Lane, Ann., By the Way: A selection of Public Art in Ireland, p26, 28, 117, 169, 194, 329, Wordwell 2010, ISBN 978-1- 905569-44-1.

6. National Library of Ireland, Collection List no, 152: Project Arts Centre Papers, MSS 46084-46270, 2009

7. Radio Telefis Eireann Andy O Mahony Reporter, Colm O Briain Reporter, EUSCREEN Title: Project Arts Centre, Video 30 mts   1975; (see external links)

8. Sculptors Society of Ireland, International Sculpture Conference, Conference Report, pp125, 1988.

9. National Irish Visual Arts Library, International Sculpture Conference, Press Clippings, 2005.

10. Aer Rianta "Gateway to Art" Exhibitions 1988 - 2000, Dublin Airport

11. Meitheal, "Sculpture Symposia Ireland", Sculptors Society of Ireland,1988, ISBN 0 946549 10 9.

12. Monaghan, Nial and O'Cuiv, Ruairi, eds, Murphy, Mike narrator "Reflections" sculpture 'art.bank', Bank of Ireland: a catalogue of works of art in the bank's collection, CD ROM 2000.

13. Ronnau Jorn, Krakamarken – Land Art as Process, Published by Forlaget Djurs, p 38-39, 2001. ISBN 87-87656-44-2.

14. Anderson, Darran, "Art in Public Places" Culture Northern Ireland, culturenorthernireland.org 2014.

15. Bulfin in Lonergan, Alan., Tir Saile - The North Mayo Sculpture Trail, p 53-54, 2001.

16. Winder, Nessa., One Family: Many Visions, Arus an Chontae, Co Offaly, 2016.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bellman David. Ed., A Journey from Hagar Qim to the Ring of Brodgar, 1976.

Culture – Art: www Ireland – information.com

Crawford Art Gallery / Irish Museum of Modern Art, "Irish Art of the Seventies", p 17,41,45, 2007; ISBN 978 0948037 334.

Hill, J.R (Ed)., "A new History of Ireland" Vol VII: 1921 – 84, Visual Arts, 2010

Madden, Angela, "Face to Face with Michael Bulfin" Midland Arts and Culture Magazine, p 28-29 2011/2012.

Magner, Donal., Devils Glen, Sculpture in Woodland, 2004. ISBN 0-9549315-0-5.

O'Regan, John A Monument in the City: Nelson's Pillar and its Aftermath, Gandon Editions, 1998, ISBN 0946846 154.

Sculptors Society of Ireland, Photographic Index, 1982.

Sculpture at East Link, Sculptors Society of Ireland, ISBN 0 946549 05 2 1985.

Snoddy, Theo, Bulfin Michael in Brian Lalor (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Ireland, Gill and Macmillian, p 139, ISBN 0 7171 3000 2, 2002.

EXTERNAL LINKS

/Project Arts Centre / Aosdana /Lough Boora Parklands / Flickr Images Michael Bulfin /Deirbhile's Twist