Pre-Columbian textiles - created as offerings for the gods - were morevaluable than gold. Now there's a chance to see some Andean masterpieces in Co Donegal, writes Derek O'Connor.

Great art establishes a dialogue. It can transcend time, space and context to provoke an immediate and dramatic response in the viewer, and can sometimes be found in the most unexpected of locations. Case in point: a three-part exhibition of pre-Columbian artefacts on show in and around Letterkenny.

Curated by Dubliner Paul Hughes, the first two sections of the exhibition - at the Letterkenny Arts Centre and the Donegal County Museum - showcase Hughes's collection of textiles from the pre-Columbian era (which lasted from 500 BC to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the 15th century).

These are evocative, visual masterpieces of sophisticated craftsmanship that, in certain cases, date back to 400 BC. The remaining strand, Time Warps, situated at the splendid Glebe Gallery, deep in the heart of Ards Forest Park in nearby Churchill, offers a fascinating selection of pre-Columbian ceramics and metal artefacts, alongside works by such 20th-century British artists as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Anthony Caro - which suggest a deep debt to Andean culture. Together, they represent another major coup for Co Donegal's thriving visual arts scene, a fine example of smart juxtapositioning - and a remarkable insight into a lost culture.

Over the past century, the dry coastal plains of Peru and Chile have proved to be a rich source of significant archaeological discoveries of pre-Columbian art. In geographic terms, the ancient Andes was an area reaching from Columbia to Chile's Tierra del Fuego - indeed, it's the aridity of the environment that enabled its artefacts (in particular, delicate textile creations), to be preserved so immaculately. Textile works are among the first artistic endeavours, and it is believed that, in ancient Andean culture, such creations were destined to be ceremonial offerings to the gods. Indeed, chronicles of the time report that the Andeans prized their textiles above all other forms of currency, even gold.

While the historical context can prove fascinating, it's the artistic significance of this electrifying work - which, in size and format, often closely resemble paintings - that has captivated audiences worldwide. At times, the moody, expressionistic swirls and bold, enigmatic symbolism adorning these pieces can suggest entire schools of 20th-century art - a little Kandinsky here, a hint of Picasso there.

"I'm not really that interested in drawing direct parallels," says Paul Hughes, "although it's obvious that a great deal of modern art owes a considerable debt to this work. I'm more interested in the notion of a greater artistic consciousness, one that has influenced and charged creative endeavour throughout history."

That said, presenting his pre-Columbian discoveries alongside contemporary creations bearing an influence, Hughes feels, offers a route in for the casual observer: "I love dialogue, a tangible response, and it's much easier for people to get into this work with a context, a name they might know. Henry Moore, for example, was a great connoisseur of non-European sculpture, especially Mexican and Peruvian pieces. He had a great collection himself, and he was also a trustee at the British Museum, so he frequently acquired pieces on their behalf while on his travels. Anything that acts as a bridge to prompt people's curiosity and attention is always a good thing."

Finglas-born Hughes initially studied knitwear design and spent the 1970s in the London rag trade before selling up and devoting his efforts to researching and collecting ethnic textiles. "I came across some examples of pre-Columbian work early on in my studies," he recalls, "and I was fascinated right away. I had to know more."

Following extensive travels in Latin America and Africa, in the early 1980s, he established a textile gallery in New York, before returning to London to found his Paul Hughes Gallery in 1983.

Today, he oversees a thriving business, dealing in the finest in contemporary furniture and textiles, while maintaining busy sidelines as a curator and consultant. "London just seemed right," he says. "There's more expertise here, and any collector worth his salt comes to London at least once a year."

Hughes is also responsible for handling the legacy of the late Shiro Kuramata, perhaps the most famous furniture designer in modern Japanese history; much of the next year will be spent curating a travelling retrospective of Kuramata's work.

"The gallery had been largely concentrating on non-European textiles," he says, "but what got me into the furniture thing was that a lot of artists turned out to be collectors of the textiles that I was dealing in. Damien Hirst, for example, has a great collection of pre-Columbian feather pieces that he got from me, and Kuramata was a great collector of feather textiles too." His true passion, however, still lies with his Time Warp endeavours. "I believe that we're all guardians of culture and art, all of us, and preserving it and sharing it is mankind's heritage. In this case, I took these pieces out of the drowsy world of archaeology and instead put them in galleries, began to show them to people who might shy away from anything perceived as being of purely historical interest. When something is presented as a specimen, it's dead - I'm interested in taking it out of that context and breathing new life into it."

The rewards have been considerable: "Way beyond the time invested collecting, it's all been about the time spent sharing these pieces with other people. It's something that just gives you a buzz, because you're meeting people who have their own angle on it, and are educating you to angles on the work that you wouldn't have come up with yourself. It's a constant learning process.

"You have to remember that this is work that will always be a mystery. You can offer theories as to why they were made, and who they were made for, but you don't get far, because you're dealing with a culture that had an unwritten language. What they had to say is there in the textiles, and it speaks volumes."

Ultimately, he'd like to find a permanent home for his collection. "I'm fishing around to find somewhere where I can place it. I wouldn't mind if that happened here. If the opportunity came up, I would definitely entertain it."

Time Warps: Ancient Andean Textiles is at the Donegal County Museum, Letterkenny, until August 17th, and at Letterkenny Arts Centre until August 31st.

Pre-Columbian and 20th Century Art is at the Glebe Gallery, Churchill, Co Donegal, until August 29th. More details: 074-29186 / www.donegalculture.com