Discover the story behind the artwork at The July Capel Street, inspired by Dublin, Smithfield and the neighbourhood that shaped artist Karen Lee.

Art is an important part of the experience at The July - Capel Street. Throughout the hotel, carefully selected and commissioned works connect guests to Dublin's character, history and creative community. For one of the hotel's artistic commissions, we worked with Dublin-based artist Karen Lee, whose work transforms memories of the city into contemporary visual stories. Inspired by the architecture, geometry and atmosphere of Smithfield, her two commissioned pieces bring a distinctly local perspective to The July - Capel Street.

We sat down with Karen to discover more about her creative practice, her connection to Dublin and the story behind the artwork.

Meet Karen Lee, Dublin-based artist

Karen Lee is a self-taught artist based in Dublin. While she is widely recognised for vibrant, highly textured paintings created using a palette knife, her creative practice has never been limited to one style or technique.

At the centre of her work is a fascination with place and the emotional connection people have with the cities they call home.

'I've never wanted to be confined to one style or technique,' Karen explains. 'At the heart of everything I create is a love of place and the emotional connection we have with it.'

Whether working with thick layers of paint or a much cleaner graphic approach, Karen uses art to tell stories rooted in memory, architecture and the way cities evolve alongside the people who live in them. This connection to place made her a natural fit for The July - Capel Street, our new apartment hotel in central Dublin located at the meeting point of Capel Street, Smithfield and some of the city's most vibrant neighbourhoods.

Inspired by Dublin and Smithfield

Karen's relationship with the area surrounding The July - Capel Street is a deeply personal one.

In her early twenties, she lived on Mary's Abbey, just around the corner from the hotel. At the time, Capel Street and Smithfield became part of her everyday life.

Her commissioned artwork for The July draws specifically on memories of Smithfield Market, just a short walk from the hotel.

'When I lived on Mary's Abbey, my housemates and I would often walk through the market on our way to college,' Karen recalls. 'We'd stop to buy fruit and vegetables from the traders and soak up the atmosphere.'

Creating artwork for The July - Capel Street

Karen's collaboration with The July developed over almost two years, with numerous conversations, drafts and refinements shaping the final pieces.

The resulting artwork is deliberately different from Karen's signature impasto paintings. Instead of heavy texture and thick layers of paint, the commissioned works use a more graphic, pared-back visual language.

The colour palette, composition and simplicity were developed specifically to complement the interiors of The July - Capel Street and sit alongside the hotel's wider collection of artwork.

'For me, this commission wasn't about imposing my usual style,' Karen explains. 'It was about listening, collaborating and creating something that genuinely belonged in The July while still reflecting my connection to Dublin.'

The finished pieces don't offer a literal representation of Smithfield. Instead, Karen distils elements of its architecture, geometry and character into simple graphic forms.

Art, architecture and the experience of staying in Dublin

For Karen, art can play an important role in shaping how people experience a hotel.

'Guests aren't just staying in a building, they're experiencing a neighbourhood and a city,' she says.

When artwork has a genuine connection to its surroundings, it can become another layer of storytelling. Rather than simply decorating a space, it gives guests an opportunity to discover something about the history, culture and character of the destination they're visiting.

This idea is central to the creative approach at The July - Capel Street. Located in one of Dublin's most diverse and energetic areas, the hotel was designed to feel connected to the neighbourhood beyond its doors.Capel Street has evolved into one of Dublin's most vibrant streets, known for its independent restaurants, cafés, shops and diverse communities. Nearby Smithfield brings another layer of history, architecture and cultural life.

A different perspective on Capel Street

The finished artwork is intended to feel calm, contemporary and optimistic. Although minimalist in style, the pieces are deeply connected to memory and place. Karen hopes guests will become curious about the places represented in her work.

'I hope the pieces encourage guests to become curious about the neighbourhood they're staying in,' she says.

For anyone staying at The July - Capel Street, that might mean taking a walk towards Smithfield, exploring the independent businesses around Capel Street or simply noticing the architectural details of the city a little differently.

Discover Dublin through The July - Capel Street

Karen Lee's commission is ultimately a story about the relationship between art, place and memory. For Karen, the artwork brings together several chapters of her life: memories of living near Capel Street in her twenties, her career in film, her return to Smithfield and her evolution as an artist.

For The July - Capel Street, it represents something equally important: creating a hotel experience that feels connected to Dublin rather than separate from it.