ALTHOUGH the "official" opening of the refurbished National Gallery took place yesterday Minister day afternoon, with the Minister for Arts, Michael D. Higgins, and director Raymond Keaveney presiding, the gallery hosted a series of mini openings all week. Last Saturday, there was a do for the staff and the OPW miracle workers who transformed the building. The following night, 100 Friends of the Gallery and patrons were entertained, followed by the movers and shakers in the art world on Monday night.
The event which took place on Wednesday, however, was inspired - 100 taxi drivers and tour bus guides were given brunch and their own guided tour of the beautiful new spaces. They were thrilled and the creative PR move should pay dividends into the next millennium. (Next time you're stranded in town and can't find a taxi, head for Merrion Square).
By Thursday, it was the corporate sponsors turn. Enter Patrick McEvoy of Irish Intercontinental Bank, who sponsored the glossy new guide to the collections and Bill Burgess of IBM, whose multi media installations are so user friendly that even a self confessed technophobe like the Minister wasn't scared off by them.
Yesterday started with a press reception and photocall in the morning, full breakfast included. After lunch, the chairman of the gallery, Carmel Naughton, dressed in a buttermilk suit by Louise Kennedy which matched the new decorative scheme perfectly, welcomed 700 guests to the mass unveiling, which went on from 2.30 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. She and the Minister acknowledged the generosity of benefactors including Gordon Lambert and Anne Yeats, both of whom were present. The Yeats bequest, including 190 of Jack B.'s sketchbooks and family memorabilia, will be housed in a special room in the museum due to open in the autumn.
Artist Felim Egan, who painted a series of enormous canvases called the Four Seasons for the new courtyard atrium was there, along with Lord Killanin, Dr Patrick Hillery and his wife Maeve. Charles and Maureen Haughey were also present. Mr Haughey is in charge of finding the £12.5 million required to complete the museum's Clare Street extension, which will make the gallery big enough to house major block buster exhibitions.
The day ended with cocktails in the garden followed by a dinner for board members in 90 Merrion Square.