Sir, – Dr Éimear O'Connor's interesting piece on the recent publication of Peter Shortt's book The Poetry of Vision: the Rosc Art Exhibitions 1967-1988 (Weekend Review, December 3rd), highlights Michael Scott's belief that "there was a need to bring developments in the visual arts in the wider world to the attention of the Irish public and the artistic community".
Shortt suggests that the Dublin Contemporary 2011 (DC11) exhibition picked up on Scott’s vision – this might imply that it be considered a successor to Rosc.
However DC11 had a controversial birth. Its final costs were almost twice the initial estimate, attendances were less than initially anticipated, its artistic impact was limited and international press coverage was almost nonexistent. The event was anticipated to become a quinquennial one. We have seen that, as far back as the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club exhibition of 1884, and in recent times, more limited exhibitions of important artists’ work can be successfully mounted with moderate costs, thus meeting Scott’s aspirations.
Hopefully, Dublin Contemporary, which had the title Terrible Beauty - Art Crisis, Change, will like Rosc be left to rest in the past and the limited budget available for the arts will be used more creatively and productively.
– Yours, etc,
TOM SCOTT
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.