The Irish Dresser Project is an ongoing body of research that Michael Fortune has been conducting since 2015. The seed for this collection was planted in the mid-1970s while living with his grandmother in her ‘two-up, two-down’ cottage. At the epicentre of this small house was a simple, practical and well-used kitchen dresser. Later in life, Fortune began noticing the importance of such objects as receptacles of life stories and the deep connection between them and their owners. One thing that became apparent was how the role of the dresser changed over the years from a practical place to hold cups, milk, flour, sugar, etc. in the kitchen to a more shrine-like position in the home. In saying that, the dressers are not just dry pieces of folk furniture or relics of the past. Instead they are an evolving and ever-changing display reflecting the experiences, lives and values of their keepers, serving as shrines as well as practical pieces of furniture. Michael will present a talk on the his findings with the dresser project and tease out their stories while paying attention to regional designs and makers. No booking Required