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A rendering of S/WING
In Spring 2026, S/WING, Dublin’s newest public artwork by Ivan Depeña, will anchor the open green space between Whittingham and Muirfield Drives, just steps from Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Timed for installation ahead of the Memorial Tournament’s 50th Anniversary, the work promises to be more than a sculpture – celebrating history, nature and community.
“S/WING will be an invitation for all of us to experience our surroundings anew,” says Dublin Arts Council’s Director of Public Practice Ava Morgan. “Artists like Ivan Depeña are skilled at sparking curiosity and changing our relationships to places we inhabit. This is such an important artwork for Dublin.”
A legacy rooted in place
To understand the significance of S/WING, one must first understand Dublin Art Council’s longstanding belief that art belongs not only inside a gallery, but in the daily life of its community.
Dublin’s Art in Public Places program was established in 1988 through a partnership between the City of Dublin and Dublin Arts Council. From the outset, the mission was clear: enrich public spaces and foster community connection through art. What began as a visionary idea has since evolved into a nationally recognized model for suburban public art.
The program’s first major commission, Leatherlips (1990) by artist Ralph Helmick, honored a local Wyandot leader whose legacy is intertwined with the region’s early history. Carved from limestone and set within a natural landscape, the sculpture established an important precedent – public art in Dublin would be site-specific, historically aware and deeply rooted in place.
Today, the collection includes more than 60 permanent, temporary and interactive works by artists from across the country and around the world. Smaller-scale initiatives, such as Riverboxes™ – artist-created vessels inspired by geocaching – demonstrate that creative engagement remains central to the program’s philosophy. In 2021, Dublin adopted its first Public Art Master Plan, reaffirming its commitment to thoughtful, strategic growth.
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A site with global visibility
The selected site is an open green space featuring an approximate 10-foot-high knoll between Whittingham and Muirfield Drives. The elevation enhances visibility, creating a natural pedestal for the sculpture. Cyclists and pedestrians traveling along nearby paths will encounter it at eye level, while drivers moving north or south on Muirfield Drive will see it against the backdrop of the sky.
Its adjacency to the 12th hole and 13th hole entry gate of Muirfield Village Golf Club offers something even more significant: international exposure. During the Memorial Tournament week, the world’s best golfers compete on one of the most challenging courses in the worldfor the enjoyment of spectators.
Inspired by motion
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The name S/WING plays with words, hinting at the dual meaning behind the work. In Depeña’s own words: “The work’s dialogue between avian movement and human dynamics connects the site’s historical context with its contemporary use. S/WING is an abstract reflection on how birds are regarded as guides and messengers in Shawnee and Wyandot traditions, as well as in Irish-Celtic lore. Revered as figures that move between worlds, birds signal intuition, transition and connection to the natural environment: symbolism that reflects a long-standing cultural understanding of flight as both spiritual and ecological. In further connection with the geography and history of the land as sustenance, the sculpture also fuses green elements into the overall form, to simulate it seamlessly rising up from the site.”
An artist bridging disciplines
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Depeña brings a multidisciplinary background to this commission. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, his practice spans art, architecture, technology and design. With a Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, he approaches sculpture not merely as an object, but as spatial experience. He has completed large-scale public projects across the country and has been recognized nationally for his contributions to the field.
In S/WING, Depeña applies this expertise to create a form that is both sculptural and architectural – one that engages with sightlines, elevation and the choreography of movement around it.
Reflection, community and continuity
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At its heart, S/WING is about reflection and inspiration. It connects Dublin’s agricultural past, its strong ties to golf and its growing reputation as a community that invests in creativity. It celebrates motion while encouraging stillness – a reminder to pause, look up and take in the bigger picture.
“The arts are not a side feature of strong cities. They are part of the infrastructure that makes people want to stay, invest and belong,” says Merijn van der Heijden, Dublin Arts Council executive director.
When the dedication ceremony takes place on May 20, 2026, just ahead of the Memorial Tournament’s 50th Anniversary, Dublin will mark more than the installation of a new artwork – it will celebrate nearly four decades of Dublin’s Art in Public Places program.
From Leatherlips to Field of Corn and now to S/WING, Dublin continues to show that art can shape a place. S/WING will stand as both tribute and invitation: honoring the swings of the past, welcoming those yet to come and reminding us that public art strengthens civic identity, fosters connection and reflects a community that plans for the future.
Raygan Barrett is the Director of Design & Marketing at Dublin Arts Council.
