Upside-down Mountains is an artwork situated in the foyer of the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, installed in 2003. This work consists of two landscapes, one in blue neon and the other painted on the wall opposite.


The landscapes are based on drawings of Connemara by George Petrie (1790-1866); engravings of his work were used to illustrate guidebooks to Ireland published in the 1820s when tourism first became a feature of Irish life and economy. Some of Petrie's drawings have been turned upside-down, transforming them into reflections and suggested valleys, while the blue light of the neon opposite animates the wall painting. This work explores ideas of abstraction and representation juxtaposed as symbols of Irish society.


Upside-down Mountains was also part of a collaborative project with Peter Murray and was exhibited as an installation in the Research and Process room at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, for the 'George Petrie' exhibition in 2004. The installation consisted of a painted mural, video, photographs, reproductions of prints, photocopied research documents and an interactive area. The video and photographs follow a revisiting of the sites in Connemara that the artist had made drawings of in the 19th century.


Also see Videos In Search of Petrie 2004

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Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin / exterior view
2003

Exterior view of the Northside Civic Centre, Dublin site of the commission 'Unside-down Mountains' for the OPW Office of Public Works, 2003

Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin / exterior view
2003

Exterior view of the Northside Civic Centre, Dublin site of the commission 'Unside-down Mountains' for the OPW Office of Public Works, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation view
2013
Neon tubing
175 x 500 cm

View of the neon work installed above the information desk in 2013. Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation view
2013
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

View of the wall painting after renovation work and the installation of new access windows in 2013. Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2013
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

View of the wall painting after renovation work and the installation of new access windows in 2013. Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation view
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

View of the completed wall painting, including lights and palms.... Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

View of the completed wall painting, including lights and palms.... Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2003
Neon tubing
175 x 500 cm

View of a detail of the completed neon work including palms.... Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / publication
2003
60 x 48 cm

The publication was part of the commission for the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / publication
2003
60 x 48 cm

The publication was part of the commission for the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation view
2003
Wall painting, neon tubing
Left 350 x 1500 cm, right 175 x 500 cm

Commission for the OPW Office of Public Works at the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains
2003
Neon tubing
175 x 500 cm

Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation view
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / detail
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Installation of wall painting 'Unside-down Mountains'. Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation
2003
Wall painting
350 x 1500 cm

Installation of wall painting 'Unside-down Mountains'. Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation
2003
Neon tubing
175 x 500 cm

Installation of neon work 'Unside-down Mountains' (thanks to Cork Signs). Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation
2003
Neon tubing
175 x 500 cm

Installation of neon work 'Unside-down Mountains' (thanks to Cork Signs). Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Upside-down Mountains / installation
2003
Neon tubing
175 x 500 cm

Installation of neon work 'Unside-down Mountains' (thanks to Cork Signs). Commissioned by the OPW Office of Public Works for the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin, 2003

Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin / interior view
2003
Site view

Interior view (during installation) of the Northside Civic Centre, Dublin, site of the commission 'Unside-down Mountains' for the OPW Office of Public Works, 2003

Northside Civic Centre, Coolock, Dublin / interior view
2003
Site view

Interior view (during installation) of the Northside Civic Centre, Dublin, site of the commission 'Unside-down Mountains' for the OPW Office of Public Works, 2003

Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / installation view
2004
Wall painting, video, TV monitor, photographs, reproduction prints, photocopied documents, tables, chairs, stencils, pens & paper
Variable

A collaborative project with Peter Murray, consisting of an installation in the 'research and process room' at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, for the ‘George Petrie‘ exhibition in 2004. The work follows a revisiting of views in Connemara that the artist had made drawings of in the nineteenth century. Also see Videos 'In Search of Petrie' 2004

Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / installation view
2004
Wall painting, video, TV monitor, photographs, reproduction prints, photocopied documents, tables, chairs, stencils, pens & paper
Variable

Public participation & research areas & video for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, the views, then and now. Also see Videos 'In Search of Petrie' 2004

In Search of Petrie / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition
2004
Video, TV monitor
14 inch

Video, as part of the installation in the 'research and process room' at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, for the ‘George Petrie‘ exhibition in 2004. The work follows a revisiting of views in Connemara that the artist had made drawings of in the nineteenth century. Also see Videos 'In Search of Petrie' 2004

Up-sidedown Mountains / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / installation view
2004
Wall painting, photographs, reproduction prints
Variable (temporary)

Wall painting, photographs of Connemara & images of prints for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, the views, then and now

Up-sidedown Mountains / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / installation view
2004
Wall painting, photographs, reproduction prints
Variable (temporary)

Wall painting, photographs of Connemara & images of prints for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, the views, then and now

Up-sidedown Mountains / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / detail
2004
Wall painting, photographs, reproduction prints
Variable (temporary)

Wall painting, photographs of Connemara & images of prints for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, the views, then and now

Up-sidedown Mountains / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / detail
2004
Wall painting, photographs, reproduction prints
Variable (temporary)

Wall painting, photographs of Connemara & images of prints for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, the views, then and now

Up-sidedown Mountains / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition / detail
2004
Wall painting, photographs, reproduction prints
Variable (temporary)

Photographs of Connemara & images of prints for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, the views, then and now

Research station / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition
2004
Table, chairs, photocopied documents
Variable

Research station for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork 2004, research material

Document included as part of the research station / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition
2004
Table, chairs, photocopied document
Variable

Research station for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, research material

Engagement Zone / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition
2004
Table, Chairs, stencils, pens & paper
Variable

Public participation station for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, interactive area

Engagement Zone detail / Research & Process Room / George Petrie exhibition
2004
Table, Chairs, stencils, pens & paper
Variable

Public participation station for the 'George Petrie' exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 2004, interactive area