The board chairwoman of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Ms Marie Donnelly, has said she would like to see the museum appoint a curator of Irish art and mount a major exhibition that would travel internationally.
She was speaking at last night's Glen Dimplex Artists Award dinner at IMMA. The dinner, attended by a range of cultural, business and political figures, marked the beginning of a celebration of the IMMA's 10th anniversary.
Today the distinguished Irish artist Louis le Brocquy will open exhibitions by German artist Rebecca Horn and American artist Sol LeWitt.
The build-up to IMMA's celebration of its first decade was overshadowed by the highly publicised and sometimes bitter dispute between its first director, Mr Declan McGonagle, and the museum's board. After court proceedings Mr McGonagle accepted a financial package last month.
In her speech last night, Ms Donnelly praised the contribution of Mr McGonagle among others to the development of IMMA.
"Speaking personally, " she said, "I would like to see IMMA appoint a curator of contemporary Irish art. I would like to see IMMA allocate a specific permanent space to work by Irish artists. I would like to see a blockbuster exhibition of Irish art, curated by the staff at IMMA, shown first in these wonderful buildings and then travelling around the world."
