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

Patrick Byrne 

BA [Hons] Production Design

Patrick Byrne is a Dublin-based Production Designer. Over the past 4 years, Patrick specialised in Production Design on the BA in Design for Stage and Screen, where he developed a set of skills in areas such as research, 3D model building, 2D & 3D AutoCAD drafting and concept drawing. He has also gained experience by working as a Production Designer on multiple external projects. Patrick has always had a huge passion for storytelling and inspiring people through the medium of art and design. He hopes to gain experience across both Film and Theatre utilising his skillset working in the Art department.

'The Children’s Hour' written by Lillian Hellman - Design for Film

This story explores the harmful effects of homophobia in a small-minded community in 1930s America. I decided to set this project in its original time period. I was conceptually inspired by Modernist Art and Architecture of the early 20th century, as Modernism is an alternative Art movement that breaks away from the classical and traditional forms. Through my conceptual and technical drawings, I aimed to show the contrast between both the progressive boarding school and the conservative community. Inspired by my modernist research from the beginning of the project, I wanted the school to be a key representation of a more progressive, equal, and liberal way of life versus the community, which shows a more accurate representation of the socially traditional, conservative view of America in the 1930s.


The Changing Image of Hip-Hop, from Grassroots to Commercialization: 1970s - 1990s

The dominant image and overall aesthetic of Hip-Hop today is something radically different than what Hip-Hop was in the beginning. This dissertation is an exploration of the changing image of Hip-Hop throughout the 70s to 90s, by examining its development from its humble origins to its global commercial success. Through this exploration we see how the birth of Hip-Hop derives from the struggles of racial minorities, especially African Americans. Hip-Hop’s origins are deeply rooted in African American Culture and their prolonged resistance to oppression within America. This dissertation examines how early twentieth-century racial discrimination such as segregation, urban renewal, key racial political events such as the civil rights movement, and key aspects of popular culture such as R&B, shaped and influenced the original image of hip hop, and how their culture was exploited when hip hop became mainstream.