artful dublin Essay -- essays research papers

Someone has crafted a dense, human-size spider web in a 17th-century baroque chapel. At the center of the swarming thread, a longhaired woman lies in a hospital bed, sheet to her chin. Silence, light filtering from stained glass, and her stillness trapped in the maze reminds the viewer of some old dada wisdom -- any work of art that can be completely understood is the product of a journalist. Down the hall, in a large room, a young German is rushing around in a white jumpsuit. He alternately plays with toy airplanes and bakes cakes in a microwave, which every hour on the hour he blows up. These exhilarating works of art from Chiharu Shiotta and Frank Werner were at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin recently, part of a show called "Marking the Territory." The images were compelling enough, but the real strangeness was that they were happening in Dublin at all. For centuries, the visual arts in Ireland ran a distant second due to the superiority of the Word. But no longer. "This is an ideal place for an artist to be," Paolo Canevari said. The young Roman was represented at IMMA by "Differences," seven people on a bench on whose foreheads he methodically rubber-stamped religious denominations. "The Irish aren't jaded. There's no boredom with art." Even Dublin's stinging humor, a style that is distinguished by an urchin's allergy to the sentimental and a duty to bring everything down to street level, has softened toward the public art of the city. The statue of the River Liffey, personified as a woman in a fountain, is still known as "The Floozy in the Jacuzzi," and a realistic sculpture of two middle-age women taking a rest from shopping will forever be "The Hags With the Bags." And what else could a giant metal spike proposed for the north side be called but "The Stiletto in the Ghetto?" These days, however, all street titles are said with affection and pride. Every nation prizes creativity. But countries such as Ireland, which for so long had little but creativity, revere it. It is now museums, galleries and artistic work that are embraced, and not just the theater, pub wit and the writer. One of the engines of Dublin's artistic boom is IMMA, only 10 years old yet housed in one of the most magnificent 17th-century buildings in the world, the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. Formerl... ...ight to $1,725 for the penthouse suite. Full service, excellent restaurant and a great bar for people watching. The Pembroke Townhouse (90 Pembroke Rd., telephone 011-353-1-660-0277,www.pembroketownhouse.ie) is a marvelous, immaculate Georgian house in Ballsbridge, close to everything on the south side, with a cheerful and efficient staff. Rates run from about $90 to $120 per night. WHERE TO EAT: Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (21 Upper Merrion St.) has spectacular art on display along with the best French cuisine in Dublin. Appetizers run from $14 to $30, entrees from $35. Trocadero (3 St. Andrew's St.) -- "the Troc," near Temple Bar -- is a great old-time theater restaurant, with late suppers and superior bar food until midnight. It's recently been refurbished and crisped up, but they left the sense of fun intact. Two can have a memorable Italian meal and a bottle of red for about $60. INFORMATION: For more information, contact the Irish Tourist Board, 800-223-6470, www.ireland.travel.ie; or, in Dublin, the Bord Failte (Gaelic for "board of welcome"), Baggot Street Bridge, telephone 011-353-1-602-4000. -- Ambrose Clancy  © 2002 The Washington Post Company