Vivienne Roche

Vivienne Roche RHA was born in Cork and studied at the Crawford College of Art, now part of Munster Technological University. She subsequently studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Major public sculptures include that in memory of President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh in Sneem (1983), Liberty Bell (1988) and Sentinel (1994) at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, Plumbline (1995) in Dublin Castle, Wave Shadow (1999) in the Dublin Dental Hospital TCD (1999), Flow (2002) in the Council Chamber of Fingal County Hall, NC Iris (2006) outside the National College of Ireland Dublin, and Whitelight Garden (2006) at Parkwest Dublin (an extensive public space incorporating an Early Christian burial site of more than four acres). Others include Light House (2009) a poem-sculpture with the late poet Derek Mahon for the Dept.of Arts H.Q. in Killarney, and a three-part work Light Ensemble (2008) in MTU Cork School of Music.

iNight, Light EnsembleVivienne Roche RHA, Night, Light Ensemble
iThe Book of Climate BellsVivienne Roche RHA, The Book of Climate Bells
iWhitelight GardenVivienne Roche RHA, Whitelight Garden

In addition to her gallery work, a notable exhibition including music was Tidal Erotics (1999) at Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane with composer John Buckley. Solo exhibitions include The Geometry of Water (2010) at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, A Light Interlude from the Pulpit (2011) the inaugural exhibition at Triskel/Christchurch in Cork, Fovea (2012) at the Hamilton Gallery Sligo, Spirit and Light (2013) in the RHA atrium, and Head to Head (2015) at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork. Her most recent public sculpture is The Book of Climate Bells & Sunbell Garden (2017) for Esker Educate Together National School in Lucan, Dublin. Her Climate Bells (2016-2018) sculptural series has been presented by President Higgins to various Heads of State. She completed What Once Was Here, a series of permanent works based on layers of archaeology at the Hyatt Centric Hotel, Dublin in 2020. Her work is in public and private collections in Ireland and abroad. She was a founder member, and first chair, of the National Sculpture Factory in Cork and a member of The Arts Council (1993-98). Honours include membership of Aosdána since 1996, an honorary Doctorate of Laws by UCC in 2006, and the MTU Alumni Award in 2010. She continues to live and work in Garrettstown, Co.Cork.

All Artists