Merging beauty with the beast

During my college years in Limerick, I would often stroll down the Dock Road to get closer to the Irish Cement factory, a humming monster which seemed to grow out of the ground. Clanking away noisily in its ghostly manner and never a soul to be seen. As if it was in control of itself. Visiting it recently I found it abandoned and overgrown with weeds, now more beautiful than ever as it truly merges with the land.

Irish Cement has another factory in County Meath which is on the way to my sister’s house. It seems so surreal set in such a beautiful rural landscape. I’ve taken many photographs of this factory, but my favourite view is through this beautiful gateway flagged by two stone pillars. Through the entrance, there are arching trees framing the factory and a long winding path which seems to lead you there. It looks like some sort of fairy tale castle down the end of the tarmacadam road. Like a futuristic Emerald City from Wizard of Oz.

Layering images of movie stars from the silent movie era with the cement factory I created new fictitious illusions. Their faces hover like specters over the land in a parallel reality. The arch of the trees protects and encloses them in this enclave.