Institute of Art Design + Technology Dún Laoghaire
Ireland’s campus for the Creative Industries

Aoife Kelly 

BA [Hons] Design for Stage + Screen Production Design

Aoife Kelly is a Storyteller, Production Designer and member of the Art Department based in Dublin. She has a fondness for 3D modelling and concept drawing. She is a versatile and tenacious crew member and team player. As an artist, she adores and values the magic of a design coming to life on stage and screen. Interested in exploring work across film and theatre. Full Driving License. Portfolio & CV linked Below.

Cleansed by Sarah Kane - Design for the Abbey Theatre

‘Cleansed’ a story about a sadistic doctor testing the boundaries and extremities of love with inhuman methods. My design explores the concept ‘spaces of trauma’ which encapsulates Kane’s work. The story treads a balance between horrific acts and tender moments of love. The claustrophobic traumatic space induces a sense of discomfort and unease. The design is created with elements of mental asylums, torture chambers and abandoned universities with hidden crevasses and their secrets. From damp cage showers, to mortuary fridges and rat infested rafters the design enhances the shock factor the piece demands and that Kane strived for. ‘Cleansed’ written by Sarah Kane. Designed for the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Major Project.



The Visual Representation of the Robin Redbreast in Victorian Culture

In Irish Culture we see a robin redbreast bird and think fondly of our loved ones but why?

This work explores the representation of the robin redbreast bird through the Victorian era, where the notions of the songster were enhanced by cultural practices. The robin’s depictions during the Christmas season and festive rituals in the 1880s including the sentiments and moral obligations evoked from the Victorians as a result of these red breasted birds. This dissertation is an examination of the robin’s links with the Victorian postal service, postmen uniforms and the significance of their red colour and their role as a messenger. Chapbooks , poetry and folklore are a means of carrying the sentiments and messages of the bird over time. A look at how the robin is presented as a sacrificial vessel and the bird’s link to flames, warmth and name fire-bringer. The robin’s depiction as a symbol of Christmas ideals coinciding with the birth and surge of Christmas merchandizing. How to interpret the image of the dead robin as well as the sentimental value of the robin as a messenger for compassion and togetherness.