REGULARS of Kerlin Gallery openings were a little confused earlier this month to receive invites for a show by Abel Badheart - that is until they read the small print, which revealed that the exotic name is the new (and temporary) pseudonym of the very well known "artist formally known as David Godbold".
On the invite he admitted that going down the Prince route is a cheap publicity shot, but at the opening on Thursday night he revealed that it's part of an ongoing project that started with a show in Sydney in January and will be completed at his next show in London in May. In keeping with the bright colours on the gallery walls, the artist who is known for his sartorial smartness bought an outfit especially for the opening and he looked very cheery in orange velvet trousers, an orange shirt and a black satin coat.
David and his partner, artist Finola Jones, have recently returned from Australia, as has actress Anne Byrne, who was there touring with Sebastian Barry's The Steward of Christendom. As well as appearing in the Dublin run of the play which opens in the Gate next week, she is spending her days in Wicklow on the Glenroe set playing Carol, Biddy's sister who disappeared to Hong Kong some time ago.
Eagle eyed Glenroe groupies are bound to be a little confused as the new Carol bears no resemblance to the old Carol of a few years ago - an entirely different actress used to play the part.
Talented designer Jane Carroll was also at David's show. She's recently moved back home from London where she spent years working for BabyGap, Habitat and the Conran Shop. The move hasn't meant that she has to drop those big name clients - she can do the work as easily from here - it just means some commuting back and forth and it gives her the chance to develop her own work, which includes extremely cute baby quilts and her, range of very popular clocks.