IMMA in 2005
The Juice presenter Taragh Loughrey - Grant and I have often let it be known our love for the Irish Museum of Modern Art, or IMMA for short, at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. I highly recommend a visit to this treasure trove. Maybe our recommendations are paying off, as according to Minister for Arts, Sports & Tourism Mr. John O'Donoghue T.D., last year was the busiest year in it's history, with over 350,000 visitors crossing it's hallow threshold.
Well, I was there again today for the launch of the 2005 program (which begins with one of the undoubted highlights of the year - the first large-scale exhibition in this country by the iconic American painter Jasper Johns, 9 February - 24 April). The reception was held in the beautiful surrounds of the Masters Quarters and the announcements were made by Minister O'Donoghue.
Among the events we can look forward to are the first exhibition in Ireland by the French artist Pierre Huyghe, New York artist Fred Tomaselli, three film works by Isaac Julian, one of Britain’s pre-eminent contemporary filmmakers and a major retrospective of the work of the much-loved Irish painter Tony O’Malley, now recognised as one of the leading Irish artists of his time, who died in 2003.
It is one of my favorite places to spend (a Summers!) evening, and if you've never been then you're missing out.
