History on show in art exhibition at Fota House

An artistic exhibition in East Cork was such a success last year, that it is set to become an annual event.

The Mór Artists Collective Exhibition will take place again this month at Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens, showcasing some of the 4,000 works in the landmark property’s vast museum collection. The display will run from June 9-22.

“The team at Fota House suggested we make the project annual, focusing on different strands of the collection,” explains east-Cork based illustrator Victoria Tammadge. “A contemporary collection that brings in new audiences and is a new way of experiencing the museum collection.”

The Mór Artists Collective is an artist-led membership organisation for people based in rural east Cork and west Waterford working in the visual, performing, and literary arts.

The group raises awareness of the work of artists in east Cork rural communities and supports their endeavours through regular meetings, workshops and events, such as the Fota House displays.

Last year’s exhibition at Fota House was entitled ‘Beneath The Layers’ and included more than 275 wallpaper samples sourced from stately homes across Ireland. This year’s event is entitled ‘Within/Without’ and has a theme of boxes.

A butter box is one of the treasures in the collection.

“Sealed containers were legislatively required by the UK and Ireland General Post Office to prevent butter from melting and leaking in warmer countries onto other parcels. Glass didn’t spoil the butter like metal would,” explains Martina Madden, Museum Standards and Property Co-Ordinator.

“The outer tin was both advertising and for light protection.

“Posting butter from Ireland was common practice as families sent care packages to relations who had emigrated.”

Mór artist Jaki Coffey has worked on the butter box for this year’s exhibition at Fota. “Everything about the butter box was so evocative,” says Jaki. “The design, the sound, the colour, but more importantly the whole concept was gas.

“I responded to the call-out by creating a fictional character called Betty Boughta who I fashioned as a pioneer for the Irish travel butter industry. I created an artefact to this effect and a website to support the artefact and give credibility to Betty Boughta and her story.”

What’s Jaki’s story about joining Mór Artists Collective?

“On moving back home to east Cork from Dublin in 2019, I felt very isolated and disconnected from the art world,” says Jaki. “I found Mór Artist Collective, and it has been a lifeline to me and my practice.”

It constantly provides opportunities to learn and grow,” says Jaki. “I have the opportunity to meet local artists and get support when and where I need it. The artists, designers, and makers have such a breadth of skills that there is always someone I can call on when I need advice.”

Victoria Tammadge worked in Fota and she kept the connection with it.

“I was always interested in the heritage of the house and interested in the people who lived there,” says Victoria. “It feels like home.

“Jessica Bonenfant of Greywood Arts, and I, together with Martina, decided on a unique way to share the unique collection at Fota House. It was prompted by the fantastic experience of last year’s exhibition at Fota.”

The collection of objects at Fota House is 40,000 strong, and the Within/Without exhibition features well-over a collection of 100 boxes.

“There are objects from match boxes to travelling trunks,” says Victoria. “There is even a box containing eggs and eggshells that someone collected and kept in a box many moons ago. It is part of the archive.”

What else?

“A box of Christmas crackers!” says Victoria.

“The boxes were partly owned by the occupants, and some were donated. The Irish Heritage Trust is constantly on the hunt for artefacts dating back to when the house was built.”

Martina says: “The collection at Fota House has been accumulated in a number of ways over many years.

“In 2002, The Fota Trust commenced cataloguing, and this continues today under our museum protocols. We follow industry best practice.

“Fota House carefully manages both loaned and donated pieces, a permanent collection of art and furniture and a significant collection of original Smith-Barry items.

“The collection is available to view on guided tour by special booking and also within the parameters of an event such as this wonderful collaboration with the Mór Collective.”

Fota House, known for its hospitality, was the former home of the Smith-Barry family. Dorothy Bell, neé Barry-Smith, who died age 75, was the last occupant of the house.

I spoke to long-standing member of the household, Pattie Butler, from Belvelly, Cobh, for The Echo in 2019 when she was 95. She was employed there front and centre as maid, housemaid, cook and housekeeper from 1947 to 1975, from the age of 23, Pattie, now deceased, told me she had great memories of the ‘Big House’.

“I’ll never forget my time in Fota,” Pattie said when she was enjoying a birthday lunch there with her friends. “That’s why I like to share memories of my time there.”

I asked her if it was like the TV series Upstairs Downstairs, and she replied: “There was a distinction with the upper-class servants, who were mostly English and Protestant, and the lower-class servants who were mostly Catholic and Irish.”

The ‘ Within/Without’ exhibition will evoke many memories for people coming to see it.

“Many of the artists went away and approached their work in different ways,” says Victoria. “In sound, sculpture, hung work, and poetry. There is a broad spectrum including visual arts in ink and watercolours.”

Some of us might be fortunate enough to meet members of the Mór Artists Collective there.

“There is a public reception with an opportunity to meet the artists on Wednesday June 10, at 6pm” says Victoria.

“All the Mór artists are proud to be involved in Within/Without,” she added.

Fota House feels like home to them.

‘Within/Without’ at Fota House Carrigtwohill, opens on June 9 and runs until June 22 from 11am to 3pm daily.

Mór Artists Collective is facilitated by Greywood Arts and supported by Cork County Council and Waterford County & City Arts offices.