News 2023

National Fossil Art Contest

14 Jun 2023
Photo: Clare Keogh

A competition organised by the science education programme Ireland's Fossil Heritage in UCC's School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, invited young artists to create an art piece inspired by the rich fossil heritage on the island of Ireland.

Hundreds of entries from children all over Ireland were received and judged by a panel that included artists and scientists, who considered both the artistic and scientific merit of each artwork. 

A special exhbition in the Glucksman Gallery featured the winning art pieces from the National Fossil Art Contest across four age categories: under 8 years, 9-12 years, 13-15 years and 16-18 years.

The winning entries encapsulate a broad range of interpretations of the contest brief. Some artworks exhibit the fossils as they appear now; other artworks reimagine the fossils as living creatures, and some entries show both past and present versions of these ancient creatures.

The submissions are a testament to the imagination and creative capacity of the children of Ireland. The judges commented on the remarkable scientific accuracy of the entries and the passion and enthusiasm for art and fossils among the entrants.

Prizes included a visit to UCC’s palaeontology labs, a special fossil themed art piece, and an Ireland’s Fossil Heritage T-shirt. The overall contest winner receives a once-in-a-lifetime fossil hunting trip with palaeontologists from UCC. Every winner also received a set of real fossils to keep. The overall winner of the contest was David McPartlin aged 17 from county Limerick.

 

College of Science, Engineering and Food Science

Coláiste na hEolaíochta, na hInnealtóireachta agus na hEolaíochta Bia

Block E, Level 3, Food Science Building, UCC, Cork, T12 YN60.

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