merrion street

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan T.D., this afternoon officially launched Here in Paradise, a public space exhibition by conceptual German artist Jochen Gerz in Sneem’s Sculpture Gardens.

Gerz asked forty people who live or work in Sneem to respond to one of three questions: “What would you wish for the future of Cul Fadda (Sneem’s ghost estate) ,…what would you wish for Ireland, …what would you wish for Europe?” Their answers and their photographic portraits, taken by well-known landscape photographer Peter Zoeller, come together to form this unique exhibition.

Speaking in advance of the event, Minister Deenihan commented:

“The answers of the people of Sneem and the accompanying photographs can be described as a self-portrait of a community. “Here in Paradise” offers a not often seen insight into the perception of ordinary men and women, the people behind the “beautiful destination”.”

Here in Paradise is commissioned by Sneem Tidy Towns and supported by the French and German Embassies, the Goethe-Institut in Dublin and Kerry County Council. It runs from 31st May to 18th September