Artist Scott’s 70-year career requires two-gallery show

Retrospective opens simultaneously at Dublin’s IMMA and Carlow’s Visual, says Des O’Sullivan.

Amajor exhibition of the work of Patrick Scott opens at two centres, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, in Dublin, and Visual, in Carlow, on Feb 16.

Now in his 90s, Scott had his first exhibition in 1940, with the White Stag Group. The exhibition brings together more than 140 pieces that illustrate the breadth and longevity of his career as architect, designer and artist.

The focus at IMMA is on early works, from 1940 to 1969, including his ‘Gold’ paintings, while Visual displays work from the 1960s, with a significant display of the artist’s tapestries woven at Aubusson, carpets by V’Soske Joyce, Rainbow Rugs by Kilkenny Design, and rugs woven in Oaxaca.

The artist Corban Walker, who is guest curating a selection of Scott’s work for the Link Gallery at Visual, has created a site-specific installation for the gallery.

IMMA has accepted a donation of two works from Scott: ‘Rosc Diptych,’ 1967, which has remained in his studio for the past 47 years and ‘Meditation Painting,’ 2006, both of which are included in the exhibition.

It runs in Dublin until May 18, and in Carlow until May 12.