The first Irish exhibition of Pablo Picasso’s work for over 50 years has been curated by a woman from Teconnaught. For the past three years, Janet McLean and her colleagues at the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin have worked on an exhibition called ‘Picasso: From the Studio’, which opens tomorrow.
Janet grew up in Teconnaught and she explained that her childhood in the country, started her on the path to becoming a curator in art galleries.
She also said that the local libraries were an important part of her formative career as a curator of the arts.
“As a child I was a real reader. In my early childhood, Ballynahinch Library kept me going. I lived for that. Also, I remember as a teenager in Downpatrick Library, they had a small art history section, and I remember that at that time there weren’t even that many bookshops.”
Recalling the kindness the local librarians showed a then-teenage Janet, she continued: “They were very encouraging too. If they got something new in, they would tell you. I do feel indebted to them, and the libraries in Ballynahinch and Downpatrick for that.”
But having an interest in art is one thing — going on to make a career as a curator was a very different thing, especially if you were from a rural place in County Down.
“I was lucky in that I was always encouraged by my parents and teachers, that if you are interested in something, then follow that. Then you kind of hope that and trust that things worked out.”
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