In the West of Ireland (1927-8), by Paul Henry has been borrowed from the National Gallery collection for the Taoiseach Brian Cowen's office. Like all senior Cabinet members he has the opportunity to choose pieces from the oldest and most eclectic collection of Irish art in the world. Sadly the Taoiseach has little interest in art and the Paul Henry was chosen for him by a government curator.
The Irish Times tells us that the multi-million-euro Office of Public Works (OPW) State art collection now stands at almost 10,500 pieces. It includes one poem and three pieces of music. And it brings art into many corners of public life. The collection, which dates from the 1830s when the British administration starting commissioning portraits of the powerful.
The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been a bit busy propping up the shattered irish economy sinc etaking office so its understandable that he has not made any requests for paintings from the State collection. The Art Management Office borrowed a Paul Henry landscape of the west of Ireland from the National Gallery for the new Taoiseach's office. This has removed the need to paint over any unsightly square left by the unorthordox removal of a Pádraig Pearse drawing by the previous Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
Micheál Martin the Minister for Foreign Affairs is Ireland's face to the world. So what does it say about this towering intellect that he has no paintings whatsoever in his office. A spokeswoman helpfully explained to the Irish Times that the fabric panels and wooden mouldings on the walls of the Iveagh House room, dating from 1866, are not suitable for picture hooks or rail. So no art then minister. No sculpture, no mobiles....just busy diplomats and emisaries and lts of cups of tea.
Mary Harney's office at t Health, has a collection of photograph by Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art graduate Róisín Morris, called What Waited Inside Herself . She describes it an "endeavour to give name to the sadness, the inner turmoil, which plagues many people in today's society".
The former Progressive Democrats' leader's art also has a Co Donegal landscape by the late English painter, Derek Hill, and an abstract painting by Wexford artist Tonia Kehoe called 900 Years of Disquiet .
The Government's art adviser, Patrick Murphy, is involved in some decisions about what to buy, but OPW architects also advise the State on what art to choose for public building projects.
The emphasis is on buying small pieces by emerging Irish artists, some of whom may be recent arts school graduates. "The maximum we can spend on any one particular project is €64,000," the OPW spokesman says.
Paintings are often moved around between offices, either at the request of their occupants, for restoration or to update a building. Some 200 pieces are in storage, some of them awaiting re-framing, conservation or repair. All the pieces are catalogued by the OPW.
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