Cover image for Dublin Inquirer print edition #92

One particular facet of living in Dublin city centre that I’ve always found hard to stomach is the persistence of abandoned buildings, which could benefit their surrounding areas.

These spaces have effectively been “crossed out” of existence. The issue, driven by greed, legislative inefficiency and bureaucratic failure, has led, in the worst cases, to the utter deterioration of historic landmarks, such as the Iveagh Markets and the Royal City of Dublin Hospital. Despite sporadic positive efforts like the proposed Fruit and Vegetable Market refurbishment, the problem remains, revealing a skewed balance between community welfare and private interests.

My name is Gavin O’Brien and I am a graphic designer and visual artist based in Dublin. I create collage illustrations for posters, albums and the odd book. If you have a suitable project and would like to hire me, I can be contacted via gavinobrien.ie or instagram.com/_gavinobrien_.