The sun was out and the wine uncorked for the opening of Shirin Neshat's work at IMMA on Tuesday. Noreen Whelan, from Carlow town, stepped up to the museum's exhibition rooms wearing a black rose on a yellow lapel. It set the tone. People dotted the sunny esplanade like so many blooms - dark and lovely.
Neshat herself arrived with her entourage, including her son, Cyrus Park (11), and her partner, Shoja Azari, who features in one of her show's video pieces. Also her "gallerist" (note the new American word), Barbara Gladstone, whose gallery is on 24th Street in Chelsea, New York.
Sarah Glennie, the exhibition's curator, was present, relaxing after completing her last job at IMMA. She's off to Hertfordshire this week to take up a new job at the Henry Moore Foundation. Artists Dorothy Cross, Mick Wilson and Grace Weir were all in the sun chatting too. Weir's video installation, Around Now, is currently representing Ireland at the Venice Biennale, where it will show until the end of September. For those who are travelling, she's got a big solo show in Perth in January. And Clare Langan, who was also there, is off to Sπo Paulo in Brazil to represent Ireland at its biennale in March 2002.
The recently dubbed Chevalier, Tony ╙ Dβlaigh, a former director of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, recalled the formerly "crumbling state" of the now pristine New Buildings, where the exhibition is on view. Philomena Byrne, IMMA's acting director, remembered it well. They were both saddened by the untimely death last week of the Spanish artist, Juan Mu±oz, whose "Conversation Pieces" (owned by IMMA) in the main courtyard of the museum are among the most popular with the public. Marie Donnelly, chairwoman of IMMA, was there too, chatting with friends.
Three friends who were also chatting were Mary Ann Bolger from Donnybrook, who was home on holiday from London, Wendy Cope from Castledermot and Stratford-upon-Avon man Jared Cocken.
Then the shadows began to lengthen and we all moved inside.