RTÉ Moving Pictures

Press Release, November 2004

- For 4 weeks commencing November 10th, the National Gallery of Ireland and RTÉ are inviting visitors to respond to their favourite paintings in the national collection -

'RTÉ Moving Pictures' is a collaboration between
RTÉ and the National Gallery of Ireland'

2004 marks a very special year for the National Gallery of Ireland as it celebrates 150 Years of its foundation by an Act of Parliament in 1854. What started out as a small collection of some 130 paintings now incorporates over 13,000 works of art representing all the major European and Irish masters dating from the 13th to the 20th centuries.

The Gallery today attracts over 750,000 visitors annually and continues to play a special part in our lives, from school visits and painting holidays, through solitary wanderings and romantic meetings, to the postcards and prints we bring home to friends and family, images of ourselves and of the country.

To celebrate the occasion, the National Gallery of Ireland and RTÉ are inviting members of the public to participate in a unique project called 'RTÉ Moving Pictures'.

For the public, 'RTÉ Moving Pictures' will be an invitation to celebrate the paintings in the Gallery's collection. For the nation, an invaluable archive of those responses and a communal portrait - and for TV viewers, a special Christmas edition of 'The View Presents…' with John Kelly, celebrating through people's stories the pictures which are worth thousands of words.

How does it work?
The 'RTÉ Moving Pictures' video booth is placed in a prominent position in the Millennium Wing of the Gallery, where visitors of all ages including invited guests are encouraged to talk about their own personal relationship with the paintings in the National Gallery's collection. Contributors to the 'RTÉ Moving Pictures' booth will be asked about their favourite painting and the memories and feelings it evokes. The interviews will be preserved in the RTÉ TV Archive. A small number of them will appear on-air in 'The View Presents…RTÉ Moving Pictures' a special Christmas edition of the programme presented by John Kelly, which will celebrate the Gallery's anniversary.

Where is it?
The 'RTÉ Moving Pictures' video booth is located beside the Information Desk in the Millennium Wing of the National Gallery of Ireland. Entrance is via Clare Street, Dublin 2. The booth will be open during Gallery hours: Monday to Friday 9.30am-5.30pm; Thursday to 8.30pm and Sunday 12.00pm-5.30pm. All are welcome and admission is free.

Contact:
Valerie Keogh
Press & Communications Office
National Gallery of Ireland
Telephone (01) 661 1533
Email press@ngi.ie

Or

Majella O Doherty
RTÉ Group Press Officer
Telephone (01) 208 2305
Email majella.odoherty@rte.ie

www.rte.ie/arts