A young architect whose stunning wood designs – created in a studio and workshops on the family farm – are causing a stir in international galleries, will hold the first solo exhibition of his work next week.
‘Quercu – The Oak’ will be displayed at the Laois Arthouse, Stradbally, Co. Laois, from Saturday, May 11 at 2:00p.m.
Alan Meredith grew up on a beef, sheep and tillage farm at The Oak, Mountmellick. He helps to run the farm, working alongside his dad and his brother, when not dreaming up his designs.
His base is a restored stable, cow house and restored grain loft on the farm.
Designs from the farm studio
Alan’s main focus is sculptural furniture and vessels that sell as sought after art works. They regularly feature as standout designs for public spaces, such as parks.
Growing up on a farm put him on the path to design, he said, as there is always something to be made or fixed.
‘Quercu – The Oak‘ brings together a new body of work, fusing separate, but related, ideas that the artist has been exploring in his practice for several years, ”if not the culmination of them, then certainly an advanced continuation and heightened expression of these ideas”.
The oak is the dominant material in much of Alan’s work. The Residual Geometry series is hewn from a single tree that grew on the family farm.
It is resurrected as an interconnected body of furniture that closely echoes the form of its source material and is reflective of that place of origin.
Oak is also significant in terms of heritage and tradition, both national and artistic. Conscious of this, Alan carries forward a particular tradition of artists, craftspeople, and sculptors, realising forms inherent in their material.
Alan began working with wood from an early age. His work to-date, straddles the boundaries of contemporary craft, sculpture and architecture and has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.
Having graduated with a master’s degree in architecture from University College Dublin (UCD) in September 2015, Alan imagines and creates one-of-a-kind and speculative pieces for both public and private clients.
Completed projects include custom made furniture, public space design, and a collection of sculptural wood-turned vessels.
The work is stocked in numerous galleries in Europe and the US.
On Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00p.m, woodturner Roger Bennett who also grew up in Laois – in Knockaroo – will conduct an exhibition talk with Alan at Laois Arthouse.
Roger specialises in making distinctive bowls and vessels which are inlaid with silver and coloured with wood dyes.
There are examples of his work in many public and private collections, including those of the National Museum of Ireland, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Design and Crafts Council Ireland.
The exhibition is open until June 21, Tuesday-Friday 1:00p.m-4:00p.m or by arrangement.