Last June, the first steps to install Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane’s first ever large-scale outdoor sculpture exhibition were taken. Five giant bronze hare sculptures and an elephant and cougar duo, by one of the world’s most renowned sculptors, Barry Flanagan, were installed on O’Connell Street for one of the most exciting, eye-catching exhibitions ever seen in the Capital.

The complete exhibition is installed as part of the celebration surrounding the reopening of the Gallery and the refurbishment of O’Connell Street.

Flanagan’s works are humorous and poetic. The hare occupies a particular importance as an emblematic image of freedom and symbol of human endeavour. Appearing in an endless variety of guises in O’Connell Street they playfully leap, and jump, box, play cricket, beat the drum, defying the force of gravity as they extend into space. In ‘Thinker on Rock’ the artist substitutes his signature hare for Rodin’s ‘Thinker’ (1880), making a witty and irreverent reference to one of the world’s best-known sculptures.

“This is a major coup not only for the Gallery but also for the city of Dublin,” said Barbara Dawson, Director of Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. “This is Flanagan’s first exhibition in Ireland and it’s incredibly exciting to be able to bring art onto the street where it can be viewed in people’s own environment.”

The installation will be in situ until the 30th September.

Right: One of the exhibits on O’Connell Bridge.