Joseph Walsh’s ‘Magnus Modus’ Stands in the New Courtyard of the National Gallery of Ireland since 15th June, 2017. How has a Furniture-Maker been Elevated to this Statis?

Vanessa O' Connell
Trinity College Dublin
Department of History of Art and Architecture
2019
BA

Subject: Sculpture, Furniture
Country: Ireland
Period: 21st century

10,000 words

This paper used the recent selection and installation of Joseph Walsh’s ‘Magnus Modus’ (2017) as part of the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Ireland to explore the changing attitude to the distinction between fine art and craft. It examines the context and possible reasons for a renewed interest in craft in twenty-first century Ireland, drawing parallels with previous surges of such interest and places Joseph Walsh’s work firmly in this context. It argues that ‘Magnus Modus’ as a fusion of traditional methods of furniture making, modern design techniques and the complex and thoughtful execution of the work, is an Irish example of the blurring of any distinction that might be thought to exist between ‘art’ and ‘craft.’ it does this by examining the question of what, in fact, constitutes craft and how it should be defined.

Irish Georgian Society

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Joseph Walsh’s ‘Magnus Modus’ Stands in the New Courtyard of the National Gallery of Ireland since 15th June, 2017. How has a Furniture-Maker been Elevated to this Statis?