DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN COPY OF THE GRACE O'MALLEY MURAL HERE
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We’re bringing together multiple creatives through an artistic partnership which elevates the Grace O’Malley brand, while amplifying the historic culture of creativity in Ireland.
The Grace
The Partnership
#BelieveInGrace
From the beginning of this project, it was decided that ‘The Grace’ was an opportunity for each stakeholder to use art as a means to not only communicate the story of a formidable woman within Irish history, but to do so while reflecting Ireland’s rich and storied culture of creativity.
The revolutionary life of Grace O’Malley inspired us to develop a project which would leave a mark. Above all, we’re setting out to achieve this through collaboration.
We have recruited a selection of Irish-based artists who are bringing their talents to the project through various mediums; street art, photography, videography, performance, projection mapping, digital art, textile &
sound design.
Grace O'Malley Whiskey
Fresco
SUBSET
Grace O'Malley Whiskey
Grace O’Malley Whiskey is a brand dedicated to the legendary Irish Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley, born into Irish nobility in Co. Mayo in 1530. A warrior by heritage and charismatic by nature, Grace was a skilful negotiator and an active & fearless mariner throughout her long life.
Following the independent spirit of their heroine, Grace O’Malley Spirits produce outstanding spirits with a fresh contemporary twist. Their flagship Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey was created by Master Blender, Paul Caris. With a 46% malt content, it’s a truly unique Irish blend. The majority of Whiskey flavour comes from the barrels used in the ageing process. The brand’s Cask Master works hard on sourcing the best distillates and travels the world to buy the best barrels to age their Whiskeys.
Grace O’Malley have established a cultural partnership with SUBSET and Fresco to launch the release of a limited edition Grace O’Malley Amarone Cask Single Grain Irish Whiskey.
Fresco
Fresco is an art consultancy fostering the creation of public and private artwork in Ireland. Fresco work with artists, brands, curators and communities to realise small and large-scale public art projects. Fresco has developed from the team at SUBSET, now managing and collaborating with a cohort of talented creatives throughout Ireland. This evolution has allowed Grace O’Malley Whiskey to join forces with KinMx, Dirty Dublin, Hugh Cooney, Conan Wynne, Natalie Keville and SUBSET to elevate and support both the brand and artists through an exciting cultural collaboration.
SUBSET
Artist Collective
What We're Doing
#1
Mural
‘The Grace’ centres around the creation of a public artwork,
designed and painted by KinMx on Aungier Street in Dublin City.
As creative director of ‘The Grace’, KinMx led the entire design & production process for the campaign.
Her artwork design idolises a symbolic female leader; it is entirely based on the lionised warrior of Grace O’Malley, but presents a reconstructed role model.
#2
Limited Edition Bottle
Following completion of the mural, KinMx will paint the artwork across five hundred Grace O’Malley Whiskey bottles; each filled with a special limited edition Grace O’Malley 12 year old Amarone Grain Irish Whiskey.
Each bottle will hold an individual piece of the artwork, creating five hundred unique collectors’ items, complete with hand-written maps & custom designed packaging. The painted bottles will be displayed at mend Studio in April 2022.
#3
NFT Release
One hundred individual sections of the mural artwork will be sold as NFTs in 2022. Each buyer of an NFT will receive the corresponding bottle of decorated Grace O’Malley 12YO Amarone Grain Irish Whiskey.
By minting the mural on the blockchain as an NFT, we extend the lifespan and legacy of the project - incorporating technology that enhances and extends the project experience beyond the physical realm. This NFT will be released via one or more NFT platforms as an ongoing fundraising initiative, with all profits going directly to the team behind the project.
#4
Project Micro-Documentary
The entire project will be captured by photographer & videographer Dirty Dublin, culminating in a project micro-documentary. The documentation of each aspect of the creative process will underline the complex yet vibrant nature of creating art in its many forms.
The Whiskey
12 Year Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey Amarone Cask Finish
Grace O’Malley’s twelve year old Single Grain Irish Whiskey has been matured in first fill American bourbon casks and then transferred into Amarone Della Valpolicella barrels & refined for a period of six months. The characteristically intense dark red fruit flavour of the Amarone imparts a delightful fruity richness to an already delectable whiskey.
The cask has been hand selected by Grace O’Malley’s Master Blender Paul Caris, during his visits to the stunning Veneto region, which sits in the foothills of the Alps. The Veneto region is one of Italy’s best known wine making regions and with rolling vineyards and views of the sparkling water of Lake Garda is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Northern Italy.
KinMx
Creative Director
Kathrina Rupit, KinMx, is a visual artist exploring themes of peace, awareness and joy through her work. Born in Mexico, Kathrina graduated from the University of Visual Arts in Nuevo Leon. Kathrina has been painting murals for as long as she can remember. Over the last ten years, she has become a prominent figure in Irish street art.
Kathrina has collaborated with multiple non-profit organizations such as Greenpeace International, Amnesty International, United Nations and Street Art For Mankind.
She samples the cultures which she has experienced across the globe in her artwork, commonly introducing powerful symbols of female strength, endurance and harmony within her compositions.
Her illustrative and vibrant style brings an authentic perspective to her art, innovating mediums & chronicling a visual narrative of strong, empowered and diverse individuals.
Dirty Dublin
Photography & Videography
Jim Fuller, aka Dirty Dublin, is a photographer working to document his surroundings and day to day experiences. Focusing on art, street scenes, portraiture and storytelling, Jim wants to portray Dublin and his travels in an authentic and interesting way.
Drawing inspiration from a background in graffiti and street photography, his style is aesthetically dynamic. Jim’s objective is to create an honest visual representation of modern life in the city, while documenting the fast disappearing cultural gems of Old Dublin.
Hugh Cooney
Performance & Visual Artist
Hugh Cooney, aka Folklord, is a multi-disciplinary artist. Hugh’s obscure visual style has featured as artwork for Damien Dempsey’s album ‘Union’ in collaboration with photographer Steve Gullick.
Utilising outmoded techniques to emphasise the surreality of our modern world, Hugh’s MS Paint Bureau installations enclosed the artist in a box, from which he delivered Microsoft Paint drawings according to suggestions from the audience. Conceived, executed and printed within five minutes, this system attempted to recreate the instantaneous gratification of modern media, but via thoroughly primitive means.
Hugh is now going one step further; collecting current folklore from the internet and hand-scribing it page by page in a ludicrous attempt to write down the internet. Much of this folklore has been scribed onto ageing maps. Hugh is applying this process to the legendary Grace O’Malley by scribing her song “Óró, Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile” across the chart of her home; Clare Island.
Conan Wynne
Sound & Visual Artist
Conan Wynne is an artist from Dublin with a background in sculpture and multimedia art.
Utilising his fascination with technology and the non linear shapes found in nature and influenced heavily by sound and science fiction, Conan reimagines the chaotic shapes and forms around him by using modern fabrication technology.
He gives a warped new life to these forms and frequencies, augmented by machines and modern art techniques.
Conan’s creative and technological expertise were employed widely on the project - from bottle & packaging design to mural projection mapping and live-streaming.
