ADAM'S IMPORTANT IRISH ART 28th May 2025

102 85 JAMES MCKENNA (1933-2000) Study of a Horse Bronze, 36 x 12 x 35cm (h) (14 x 4¾ x 13¾’’) Edition no. 3/3 Signed € 1,500 - 2,000 A seminal figure in the Irish cultural landscape, James McK- enna was celebrated both as a sculptor of distinction and as a literary voice of depth and originality. Born in Dublin in 1933, McKenna studied at the National College of Art and Design, laying the foundation for a career that would bridge the visual and literary arts with remarkable fluency. A founding member of both the Independent Artists Group and the Sculptors’ Society of Ireland, McKenna played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of contemporary Irish art in the latter half of the 20th century. He exhibited regular- ly with the Irish Exhibition of Living Art and, in recognition of his contribution to sculpture, was awarded the prestigious Macaulay Fellowship in 1960. In 1983, he was elected to Aos- dána, the affiliation of creative artists in Ireland, in honour of his artistic achievements. Throughout the 1980s and ’90s, McKenna’s work featured in numerous international exhibitions, establishing his repu- tation beyond Ireland’s borders. A major retrospective was held at the Riverbank Arts Centre, Co. Kildare, in 2002; its principal space, the McKenna Gallery, now bears his name in tribute. A major retrospective of his work was held at IMMA in 2007. Among his most acclaimed public works are Resurgence, a commanding limestone monument at the University of Limerick; Female Figure and Tree (1979) at the Central Bank in Sandyford, Dublin; and the evocative Gerard Manley Hop- kins Monument in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare. These works embody a deeply rooted sense of place and a timeless engagement with the human form. In parallel with his sculptural practice, McKenna was a playwright and poet of considerable note. His dramatic works—including The Scatterin’, At Bantry, Citizens’ Tree, The Battering Ram, and People Without Fame—as well as his published poetry, underscore a lifelong devotion to the expressive power of language.