Time was when it was considered a schedule-management disaster if two art galleries had exhibition openings on the same night. But how times have changed! Realising that they can't lock their clientele into the gallery until they cough up their spondulicks, all the Temple Bar art spots joined together to throw their doors wide on Wednesday night. The nine venues - the Jo Rain Gallery, the Gallery of Photography, the Project, the Graphic Studio, Designyard, Arthouse, Africa Calls, Kyntrich Gallery and Temple Bar Gallery - pooled their precious client lists to come up with a virtual sea of 4,000 potential patrons. Alas, the dreadful traffic and inclement weather kept many at home, but nonetheless, small waves of art-lovers surged through the narrow streets of Temple Bar.
Most of the action was concentrated at Temple Bar Gallery which was co-hosting - with Arthouse - an exhibition of Irish and Polish art curated by Paul O'Neill and Magdalena Kardasz. Viewing the bi-cultural art works were National Gallery chairperson Carmel Naughton and husband Martin Naughton of Glen Dimplex, Rosemarie and Sean Mulcahy (who had his own prints on show at the Graphic Studio), Ulli de Breffny and art critic Dorothy Walker.
Also doing the circuit were clatters of artists including Maurice O'Connell, Finola Jones, Ronan McCrea, Fergus Martin and American duo David McDermott and Peter McGough who have just come back from a huge retrospective exhibition in Ostend.