Last February I completed a mock bursary awards application based on my idea of running a project at Castle Dillon:
“The proposed project is to take place on a site known as castle Dillon in Co. Armagh, the former home of the Molyneux family and originally the home of John Dillon, the orginal castle was built in 1610.
More recently the house was used by the British Army and during the 1990’s as a care home for the elderly. The house has fallen into a state of disrepair, much of the furniture still remains and former patient’s property lies scattered on the floor.
My proposal is to document the decay remnants and memories by using much of this material within the house and including using my skills as an illustrator and printmaker to develop a body of work to be exhibited locally, bringing local awareness to the existence of such a site which could potentially be brought back to life through redevelopment.
Using existing materials on site is in keeping with my practice, not solely from a ‘recycling’ point of view but the ability of materials that serve one particular purpose being repurposed for use as ‘art’ and the range of materials available at Castle Dillon will enable me to investigate this process thoroughly and is also appropriate to draw attention to the disused site and it’s possibilities.”
I have taken inspiration from this statement and much of it remains similar to my intentions this year.
All photographs and illustrations are © Sarah Hutchinson Burke – Please do not use without permission.
Castle Dillon 