EXHIBITION openings are usually fairly sedate affairs, but not so the opening night of the RHA annual exhibition last Monday. With over 250 artists exhibiting, throngs reminiscent of a rugby international wandered around the two floors of the gallery, chatting and comparing purchases. By far the biggest crush was the one peering at the frighteningly life like portrait of Albert Reynolds by Carey Clarke; many could be spotted glancing uneasily between the portrait and the man himself, who was there with wife Kathleen and daughters Eimear and Leonie.
Architect Sam Stephenson had four watercolours on show; he was there with his wife Caroline Sweetman. Melanie Le Brocquy accepted compliments for her bronze bust of her brother, Louis Le Brocquy, and award winners Tony O'Malley and Imogen Stuart also moved in, the crowd: Pauline Bewick was less interested in talking about her paintings and more interested in discussing the new baby of her daughter, artist and designer Poppy Melia.
Baron and Baroness Zezza and Countess Farah Massimi added a touch of continental glamour while the legal profession was represented by high court judge Catherine McGuinness, attorney general Dermot Gleeson and counsel Noel Judd, as well as Thomas Ryan's portrait of chief justice Liam Hamilton. Ecclesiastical matters also of a look in with the ever enthusiastic Father Tom Stack, and David Hone's portrait of Cardinal Cahal Daly.
Paul McDowell, the new president of the IAVI chatted about Under The Hammer, a book celebrating 75 years of the institute; the book was being launched by David Norris the next day.
Michael Colgan and Marie Rooney of the Gate Theatre took time out from the Pinter festival to join the masses, as did Gay Byrne, Kathleen Watkins and a more unusual couple, Bintii (formerly known as Princess Tinymeat of the Virgin Prunes) and Deirdre Behan, daughter of John Behan and Constance Short.
Henry and Hilary Benton chatted with artist Gordon Potter, Hilary revealing her late vocation into creative writing; she is soon to have a short story published in Books Ireland and has a novella in preparation.
All three of the Cuffe sisters - Grainne, Siobhan and Susan - had work on show and were there with their brother Ciaran, who is busy campaigning for a seat for the Green Party in Dublin Northeast. Mary Stokes was there along with exhibitor Willo O'Brien who plays in her band - both were looking forward to the release of their new and long awaited CD Ten Years On The Road, in four weeks' time.