A striking new public artwork by local East Wall artist Sean Atmos is set to become a stand out feature of the revitalised Bolands Mills urban quarter. Commissioned as part of Google’s regeneration of the 150-year-old site, Bláthú is a nine-story immersive mural spanning approximately 724m², making it the largest mural ever painted in Ireland by surface area.
Over a year in the making, Bláthú, meaning ‘to bloom’ in Irish, is a multi-sensory, augmented reality (AR) enabled piece, inspired by the architectural lines of Bolands Mills and the natural beauty of nearby Irishtown Nature Park. The artwork merges past and present, urban and organic, in a single calming and inclusive visual experience, as its palette and forms reflect Bolands Mills’ historical and cultural heritage and its natural surroundings.
Accessibility was at the heart of the creative process and Sean collaborated with As I Am, Ireland’s Autism Charity, and NIRP (Neurodiversity, Irishtown, Ringsend and Pearse Street) to ensure the artwork could be enjoyed by all – including those who are neurodivergent, have sensory differences, or have hearing or vision impairments. The colours, form and flow of the design were chosen to create a sense of calmness, aid concentration and regulate the nervous system, while local community members also took part in creative consultations, helping to shape the final piece.
Speaking about the mural, local artist Sean Atmos said, “From the start, I wanted to explore what it means to create a public artwork that’s truly accessible to all. That’s why I collaborated with As I Am, Ireland’s autism charity, and NIRP, a local neurodiversity support group for parents of neurodivergent children, whose insights helped to shape the design.
To take it a step further, I wanted to explore how the mural could be experienced by people with hearing and vision impairments. To achieve this, I partnered with Imvizar – Ireland’s leaders in immersive storytelling, to create a sensory AR experience that brings the artwork to life through your phone.”
He continued, “Having grown up just over the Liffey in East Wall, being the chosen artist to create this mural in the heart of Dublin is deeply personal and meaningful to me. The AR element broadens the mural’s accessibility and resonance, connecting people of all ages and backgrounds from the area.”
Michael Conaghan, Project Director for Bolands Mills at Google, added: “This mural captures the spirit of Bolands Mills as a space that blends a layered history with contemporary creativity. Sean’s work celebrates the community here and builds upon the rich arts and cultural history of this iconic landmark.”
The Blathú mural represents the largest of a number of pieces of public artwork at Bolands Mills, and is part of an effort by owners Google to make meaningful local stories accessible to all and give back to the city that surrounds its Dublin offices. Visible from multiple vantage points at the intersection of Barrow Street and Boland Mills, Bláthú is now complete, while an AR app, which will offer an enhanced digital experience of the mural, is set to be released at the end of August.
Blathú can be visited at Canal Bank Lane Dublin 4.
Images: Julien Behal Photography
