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New Sean Scully Work Acquired by IMMAA major new acquisition of a large-scale painting by the celebrated Irish-born artist Sean Scully was unveiled today (Friday 27 June) by the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Titian’s Robe, 2008, is one of Scully’s new series of paintings on aluminium and as such adds significantly to IMMA’s holding of works by the artist, ranging over almost 30 years. The work was purchased with a grant from the American Ireland Fund, which was made possible by a gift to the Fund by the American businessman and contemporary art collector Kevin Burke and his family. Born in Dublin in 1945, Sean Scully is one of the most respected and well-known artists of his generation. Educated in the UK and the USA, he had his first exhibition in London in 1973. His work is represented in most major international museums and has been the subject of an extraordinary number of retrospectives around the world, including Dublin, London, New York, Chicago, Washington, Paris, Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Vienna, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Canberra. He occupies a unique place in the contemporary art scene, and is widely credited with having expanded the possibilities of abstract painting after Minimalism. Titian’s Robe is part of a long series of Robe works, comprising paintings, watercolors, pastels and prints. The most recent paintings in the series are executed on four separate aluminum panels and then attached. The series refers to material and garments that are imbued with meaning, as in Joseph’s robe in the Book of Genesis, which was stained with goat’s blood by his brothers who reported to their father, Israel, that he had been devoured by a wild animal, when they had, in fact, sold him into slavery. The specific title, Titian’s Robe, was inspired by a visit the artist made to a recent exhibition in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, entitled The Late Titian and the Sensuality of Painting. Speaking at the presentation of the painting, IMMA’s Director, Enrique Juncosa, said: “Titian’s Robe will complement in a very substantial way the existing works by Sean Scully in the Museum’s Collection. We are extremely grateful to Kevin Burke and his family and to the American Ireland Fund for enabling us to acquire this important painting and make it available to our Irish and international visitors. This brings to 11 the number of works in various media by Sean Scully in our Collection, beginning with Brennus, dating from 1979, and moving through many of the key explorations of the artist’s career to date.” For further information and images please contact Patrice Molloy or Monica Cullinane at Tel: +353 1 612 9900; Email: press@imma.ie 27 June 2008 |
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Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, Ireland
Tel: +353-1-6129900, Email: info@imma.ie
