Amnesty art turning into a spectacular / interns to reckon with (Tuesday 27 April 2004)

compiled by Liz Aders

Yoko Ono and the Edge to launch Amnesty hit

It's turning into one of the art sales / art events of the year, creating a big buzz, and helping a great cause. Works from In the time of shaking are already on sale, and already selling well, for stiff prices. Proceeds (after costs) go to Amnesty. To see what's on offer, visit the exhibition's website (you'll need to be Flash-enabled; if you're not, this site would make it worth your while to update your browser).

And it seems that the Irish Museum of Modern Art is getting a real taste for celebrity openings. IMMA drew a great crowd when Bono launched the Francesco Clemente show there recently (more here, and a CIRCA review of the show here). Celebrity-spotters get ready again - on Thursday 6 May Yoko Ono and Edge will attend the Irish Museum of Modern Art and officially open the Amnesty show. Ono was one of the artists who contributed an artwork to the one-hundredth edition of CIRCA.

In the time of shaking is an exhibition of contemporary new Irish art. The exhibition comprises a sale, exhibition and limited-edition book. The new works by more than 100 of Ireland's most important contempoary artists include Louis le Brocquy, Patrick Scott, Camille Souter, Sean Scully, Tony O'Malley, Barrie Cooke, Patrick Ireland, Patrick O'Reilly, Anne Madden, Mark Francis, Jane O'Malley, Basil Blackshaw, Hughie O'Donoghue, Alice Maher, Carey Clarke, Guggi, Dorothy Cross, Michael Kane, Grace Weir, Felim Egan, Vivienne Roche, Maud Cotter, Cecily Brennan and Clare Langan.

Yoko Ono: coming to Dublin in May. Image held here

The exhibition is the brainchild of Professor Ciar½n Benson of University College Dublin, and the 'Artists for Amnesty International 2004' Committee. Says Benson:

I asked the artists for something preferably recent, something which they judge to be their best. A few works have been painted especially for this sale. It's difficult to say how much will be made, but the first of these art sales in 1982 raised sufficient money to buy Amnesty Ireland its premises.

The art is being sold on a first-come, first-served basis. There's still plenty available if you have between 1,000 to 175,000 euro to spare! IMMA will also host a book-signing on the 9 May from 1 - 4pm where over fifty of the exhibiting artists will be around to sign a copy for members of the public. A limited edition of 3,000 is available for purchase through Art for Amnesty for 45 euro. Again, visit the exhibition website for more.

Limited edition book for In the time of shaking exhibition

Interns on the up

We are always delighted to hear what our former interns are doing once they have left us to venture into the big, bad world. Two of our most recent interns, Sarah Browne and Eimear McKeith, have been successfully making waves in the Irish art world. Sarah is exhibiting as part of ev+a 2004, in Limerick until 23 May. Eimear McKeith has just notified us of her new role with the Event Guide, so we'll happily give that a plug on her behalf. The Event Guide, which is distributed weekly, has just begun a fortnightly column on what's happening in the visual arts in Dublin and its environs. It's called Gallery Glance and is written by our Eimear. It will provide an in -depth account of upcoming openings, talks, events and exhibitions. It will also include interviews. Thanks for your hard work Eimear and Sarah and best of luck to you both.

Most recent news items:
• Shiel shines at RHA / art and fire engines (Friday April 24, 2004)
• Wilde x 2 in art gift for Galway (Thursday 22 April 2004)
• Catalyst appeal / Rwanda commemorated in Belfast-Bray art cooperation (Wednesday, 21 April 2004)
• Europe to light up Dublin Sky (Thursday 15 April 2004)

For a full list of news items, click here.

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