Sir, - I write to correct the impression that your readers may have gained from a reference in the interview with the new chairman of the Arts Council (The Irish Times, February 29th) and the statement that the Irish Museum of Modern Art may do too much "installation based conceptual art" - whatever that actually means.
The fact is that of the 136 separate exhibitions which the museum presented over the last eight years, 74 have been exhibition of paintings - some by younger artists, some by established artists and some by historical figures, and 31 have been exhibitions of sculpture.
I would argue strongly that the Irish Museum of Modern Art properly fulfills its responsibilities towards painting and sculpture, as media used by artists, in representing contemporary and modern art practice to the public. - Yours, etc.,
Declan McGonagle, Director, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.