A WTS Case Study
Fine Art Moving for Mary Immaculate College
Mary Immaculate College, founded in 1898, is a University-level College of Education and the Liberal Arts, academically linked with the University of Limerick. The College is a multi-campus institution, with a student population of over 5,000 students enrolled in undergraduate programmes in Primary and Post-Primary Education, Psychology, Liberal Arts and Early Childhood Care and Education, as well as a range of postgraduate programmes at Diploma, MA and PhD levels.
The Customer Need:
Mary Immaculate College has a long standing relationship with the German-Irish sculptor, Imogen Stuart, dating back to the 1950’s when the Sisters of Mercy commissioned three major works for MIC; St. Brigid, Christ Teaching and St. Colmcille. This was the beginning of a lifetime friendship and collaboration between Imogen and MIC. Former College President, the late Professor Peadar Cremin, commissioned further works.
The college celebrated Imogen Stuart and her outstanding contribution to the arts in Ireland by hosting Imogen Stuart – In Her Hands. The exhibition was officially opened by President of Ireland, President Michael D Higgins, on 6 December 2022, and was on display in the convent chapel, John Henry Newman Campus, throughout December 2022 and January 2023.
The art handling team at WTS were selected by curator of the exhibition Naomi O’Nolan, formerly Head of Collections & Exhibitions at The Hunt Museum, Limerick, to collect 26 works of art from various locations across Ireland, transport and install them in the exhibition venue. This included providing temporary secure overnight storage facilities while all the artwork in the Dublin area was collected.
The WTS Solution:
To enable the exhibition feature as many works of art as possible, pieces were collected from the AIB Head Office, The Arts Council, The Ark and Imogen Stuart’s studio. These were combined with collections from Mary Immaculate College and The University of Limerick.
The works of art were carefully packed and transported to The former Mount Saint Vincent Chapel, which now forms part of Mary Immaculate College’s John Henry Newman Campus. The chapel was constructed circa 1870 and is a protected structure. The building had fallen into a state of disrepair and Mary Immaculate College commissioned the refurbishment of the Chapel.
When the exhibition was over our WTS art handling team returned to the chapel, deinstalled ,packed and loaded all the pieces for transportation back to their respective homes in Limerick and Dublin. Imogen Stuart pieces of art work from her studio , MIC and UL were reinstalled in their original display positions.
Project Photographs:
