The Icon Factory

The Story of The Icon Factory

The Icon Factory was an artist’s cooperative and not-for-profit collective based in Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland, run entirely by artists and volunteers. It was dedicated to celebrating Ireland’s cultural heritage through the artistic creation of icons and displayed these on its sister project, The Icon Walk. Members of the artist’s cooperative produced images of icons of Irish culture for display on The Icon Walk. These artworks, representing rock stars, sporting heroes, writers, and television stars, were reproduced and available in various forms in The Icon Factory. Fine art prints, t-shirts, posters, and other items bearing the reproduced iconic art were sold to support The Icon Walk's mission.

These activities functioned to revitalize a depressed urban area and significantly reduced the crime rate therein. The Icon Walk became Ireland’s largest open-air art installation. Visitors could stroll past original images of individuals, many famous and some infamous, who made significant contributions to Irish culture in the last century. Set out along the walls of the cobbled laneways of Temple Bar, it attracted many tourists, locals, student groups, and photographers to the area, effectively reclaiming what was once an unsightly and unsafe section of Temple Bar.

Raison d’ etre

The driving force behind this cooperative effort grew from the realization that the culture had changed, and for many, this meant they were on their own. It seemed to us that a seismic systemic failure had occurred across the entire landscape, and our former leaders, those who had brought us to this place, were the last ones likely to get us out of the mess. There was no point in waiting for things to get better; they wouldn’t, so we decided to have some fun.

We were without funds but still had our wits, so we pooled our resources, our energy, and embraced our future rather than waiting for the past to resurrect itself. Was it not an illusion anyway?

Concept

We were the post-modern Irish, redesigning the elements of our heritage in our own image. We presented the writers, musicians, sports figures, and other disparate elements that never disappointed us during THE GREAT DELUSION.

Believing that art civilizes, that it can be an educational tool, and that it can function to instill a new civic regard for public spaces, we saw our opportunity to put our ideas to the test in the neglected lanes and alleyways immediately behind Fleet Street, the main thoroughfare in Dublin’s Temple Bar, the city’s cultural area. We also knew that Ireland’s economic slump had depressed many of us, and we sought to remind people of the riches of our cultural heritage – how we had riches aplenty across our cultural spectrum.

In Conclusion

The Celtic Tiger turned out to be a pussycat, so now it was time for Gaelic Lions to roar, to roam the midland boglands and the sidewalks of Temple Bar. We honoured those we loved and mocked those we disrespected.

Exhibitions

Artists, young or old, Irish or from afar, were invited to exhibit their artwork here for free. The Icon Factory gallery was a non-commission exhibition space. Artists donating an original work depicting an icon from Irish culture were given a solo exhibit opportunity in The Icon Factory Gallery, located in a central area of downtown Dublin. The Icon Factory was committed to promoting artists, providing training and experience to artists, and promoting Ireland’s cultural heritage both domestically and internationally.

The Icon Factory fund The Icon Walk through their activities. The Icon Walk is further supported by donations from local businesses, individuals, and artists who support this mission.