The theme of sexuality was often overlooked in Patrick Hennessy’s work, but a new exhibition at IMMA marking his centenary offers an opportunity to assess its role in his art, writes Sean Kissane
In 1939 a young painter returned ro Ireland following his education in Scotland. Less than five months later his first solo exhibition in Dublin was opened by the doyenne of Irish Modernism, Mainie Jellett. The show included portraits of figures such as the German Ambassador and his family, and Madame Jammett of the famous restaurant. The artist was Patrick Hennessy, a man with the apparent ability to immediately identify those who mattered and successfully cultivate them, as by the late 1940s the list of his patrons and portrait sitters is a roll-call of the aristocracy, bourgeoisie and cultural figures alike.
Proving that good design is timeless, Virginia Teehan presents a selection of rare artefacts travelling to Boston College, celebrating Irish design from the Arts and Crafts Movement.
In response to the 1916 centenary, EVA International takes as its theme, the post-colonial legacy on the psyche and imagination of colonized communities, writes Michaele Cutaya.
A recent visit to Sligo County Library prompts Peter Harbison to ask, could our national institutions do more to give local communities access to their treasures?