Galway

Hope it Rains | Soineann no Doineann unveils a Galway street mural by Shane O’Malley that is as changeable as the weather 

The Galway 2020 project Hope it Rains | Soineann nó Doineann unveiled a street mural yesterday with a difference! 

Changes, change, by Galway-based artist Shane O’Malley, is an abstract painting whose shape, size, geometric patterns, and colours change in reaction to rainfall. The direction, intensity and amount of rain determine which version of the mural is visible, making it as changeable as the weather. 

Ríonach Ní Néill, artistic director and curator of Hope it Rains | Soineann nó Doineann explains why Shane was the first and only choice for this exciting commission: 

“I wanted a work that would reflect the capricious and mercurial nature of Galway’s weather. Shane’s vibrant and optimistic murals stand out against Galway’s grey skies, so it was natural to ask him to create a painting that would duet with the sky and transform in the rain.” 

We expect paintings to be static, and the image stable and unchanging. By incorporating hydro-chromic paint into the palette, Shane has created a dynamic and shape-shifting mural. Considering the weather’s variability, there’s no predicting how many versions there eventually could be of the mural – in a day, in a week, in a month. In the words of the poet Bob Blackwell 'Happens, all the time, changes come then changes, change.’ 

To achieve the aim of Hope it Rains | Soineann nó Doineann, which is to effect a cultural change in our relationship with weather, Ní Néill is challenging artists to create works that directly interact with and respond to the weather, and use it as a source of creativity. The project fosters a thoughtful approach which seeks the advantages of our mild, windy and wet weather, all the while building awareness of the need for immediate action to mitigate climate change. 

Located on the corner of Church Lane and Shop Street, Changes change is a visual barometer for pedestrians of patterns of rainfall and drought. 

Helen Marriage, Creative Director, Galway 2020 said; “Galway’s year as European Capital of Culture is a great opportunity to showcase this extraordinary place to a wider audience through the work of an amazing array of local and international artists and producers. The programme has been built around the central themes of landscape, language and migration, and Hope it Rains | Soineann nó Doineann will work with local artists to address a constant of the Galway landscape. We look forward to seeing the project unfold over the coming months. &nbsp;

4 Seasons in one street artwork!

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