Hugh Lane easing back open after expansion (Friday 24 February 2006)
compiled by Jessica Langan-Peck
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| Hugh Lane Director Barbara Dawson(foreground) and architect Des McMahon stand in the new extension of the gallery; courtesy Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane |
The Hugh Lane Gallery - or Dublin City Gallery: The Hugh Lane as it now likes to be called - is nearly ready to show off its 13-million-euro refurbishment to the public. On Tuesday some lucky members of the press were given a tour of the barely finished extension of the gallery by architect Des McMahon and Hugh Lane staff members. Set to open in early May 2006, the additions complement the 1765 Charlemont House in which the orginal gallery resides. The new wing is designed in a neutral fashion, allowing visitors to focus on the art itself.
The five-year project will double the exhibition space of the gallery, expanding it from 2,000 square metres to 4,000. In addition to 13 new galleries, the Hugh Lane will now include a lecture room, a state-of-the-art archive area, and bookshop where visitors can relax after their art browsing. Barbara Dawson, Director of the Hugh Lane, said, "Our plan is to ensure that the gallery, which is in many ways renewing itself, is a showcase of Irish and international works and of a standard to rival the very best on the international stage."
McMahon, whose previous works include the Glór Irish Music Centre in Ennis, is well known for his ability to make a building fit its environment so that visitors are immediately comfortable. In Circa's recent publication Space: architecture for art, McMahon says, "You can look at a gallery as a mixture of a sacred place and a supermarket. You begin in a supermarket, you go through a sacred place, and you come out again through a supermarket." McMahon feels that the gallery experience is two-fold. Visitors can look at works of art and feel removed from the everyday, but they are also able to browse the bookshop and have a cup of tea in the cafe afterward.
First in line to showcase in the revamped gallery is a retrospective of the work of Brian O'Doherty / Patrick Ireland called Beyond the White Cube. Indeed, O'Doherty was recently in Dublin to oversee the develpment of the exhibition and is said to be very excited by the design of the new building. Other highlights in the gallery's near future include the launch of a permanent exhibition of works by artist Sean Scully. The artist contributed to the design of the gallery, lit solely by natural light, which will display the four works he has bestowed on the gallery. The Hugh Lane also acquired six unfinished Francis Bacon works that will secure another permanent spot in one of the 13 new spaces.
The addition of an art-education area is perhaps one of the most important aspects of the Hugh Lane's refurbishment. Children and families can participate in several programmes geared towards learning about the arts. Education Curator Jessica O'Donnell, who showed press through the new education room at the gallery, expressed the Hugh Lane's committment to arts awareness in the community. "We are opening the door to budding artists from all around the city," O'Donnell said.
Dublin City Gallery: The Hugh Lane is indeed an important facet of the Dublin arts community, and the anxiously awaited opening will give all visitors a chance to be involved. Dawson said that the refurbishment of the gallery will allow something for everyone; the new space will be filled with the work of new artists, multimedia exhibitions, stained glass works and more. While staying true to its original structure, the Hugh Lane will truly spread its wings and reach its full potential. Even while builders are still frantically putting the finishing touches on the building, Des McMahon's design looks sure to propel the Hugh Lane Gallery to the forefront of Dublin's architectural success stories.
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