Adam's The Oliver Dowling Collection 11th September 2024

15 The ROSC exhibitions, organised by King, his partner Oliver Dowling, and others, were instrumental in shaping the development of modern art in Ireland. These exhibitions were a series of landmark events that introduced contemporary international art to Irish audi- ences, dramatically altering the cultural landscape of the time. King’s organisational skills and vision were crucial in overcoming the challenges associated with these ambitious ex- hibitions. Richard Demarco highlights King’s “extraordinary gifts as a negotiator and co- ordinator,” which were essential in bringing the ROSC exhibitions to fruition (3) . Moreover, King’s role in these exhibitions extended beyond mere organisation; he was a key figure in ensuring that the exhibitions maintained a high level of quality and relevance, ultimately placing Dublin “on the international art-world map.” Cecil King’s legacy in the context of Irish art is multifaceted. His work and contributions through ROSC positioned him as a central figure in the history of modern Irish art. Peter Murray suggests that King’s involvement in the ROSC exhibitions and his connections to international art movements helped “position Irish art within a broader global context,” making him a crucial link between Ireland and the international art world (4) . Additionally, King’s artistic practice, marked by a rigorous commitment to geometric abstraction, left a lasting imprint on the aesthetic development of Irish modernism. His influence is further underscored by the recognition of his work and ideas in subsequent exhibitions and critical discussions, which continue to affirm his place within the international discourse of mod- ern art. His work, often misunderstood in its time, is now recognised as a crucial part of the evolution of experimental painting here, influencing subsequent generations of artists and challenging the boundaries of what painting could achieve. Seán Kissane is Curator of Exhibitions at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin. In 2008 he curat- ed, ‘ Cecil King: A Legacy of Painting ’, a retrospective of King’s work at IMMA. 1 This short text is condensed from Seán Kissane, ‘ A Legacy of Painting’ , in Seán Kissane (ed), Cecil King: A Legacy of Painting (Dublin: Irish Museum of Modern Art, 2008) 4-17. 2 Peter Murray, ‘ Cecil King ’ in Art and Architecture of Ireland Volume V: Twentieth Century. Edited by Andrew Carpenter, Catherine Marshall, and Peter Murray. 1st ed. Vol. V. Royal Irish Academy, 2015, 254. 3 Richard Demarco, ‘ Cecil King ’ in Kissane, 2008, (28-33) 29. 4 Peter Murray, ‘ Cecil King ’, 254.