At the time this work was made, Dublin city was seeing unprecedented immigration and Moore Street, home to the city’s oldest fruit and vegetable market, was becoming an exciting hub of multiple languages, nationalities and cultures. In defiance of the binary stereotypes emerging in public discussions around our new residents either “taking our jobs” or “taking from the state,” Moore Street was rapidly becoming a living and thriving example of a Thirdspace, where new businesses were established in old decrepit buildings, breathing new life into the street in synergy with its long-standing street traders. This work reinterprets Moore Street as a stage set, where the social space of the street is opened up and the symbolism of fruit in Chinese culture is elevated to promote peace and good fortune for our new communities.
This piece was part of the Moore Street Lending Library project 2005, initiated by Fire Station Artists’ Studios.