Róisín de Buitléar

Wicklow-based Róisín de Buitléar is passionate about Ireland, its culture, traditions, language and natural beauty. She is fascinated by glass as much for its beauty as the challenge of working with it. This fascination with transmission of light, shadow and sound also offers opportunities to work in different materials that either are combined with glass or exploit similar characteristics.

Róisín often works in collaboration with other crafts people or communities to explore share and develop ideas and issues of social concern. ‘Perpetual Offender’ is on display during both exhibitions of 'For the Love of Craft: a month at Powerscourt' and was designed and made by Róisín de Buitléar and Sarah Ward Henry. The piece consists of a short dress, a skull cap with glasses and ear defenders, a glass collar and a bag. The dress is made of bands of two different textures: one is an armour of leather, made from the offcuts of leather bag production, clasped together with small jewel like red glass drops, the other is a band of glass rings connected by links made of the cut-out shapes of the leather sections. Combined they create a layered armour effect, which symbolises how we as women build up layers of defence which we wear subconsciously. Although appearing protective, the leather armour does not entirely mask the body. The imagery of layered armour, chains, and other elements in attire and accessories serves as a symbolic representation of how societal norms uphold and propagate the cycle of inequality, echoing the beliefs and behaviours inherited from previous generations.

Join us to hear more about this artwork and Róisín's other work.