Richard Malone: reading recommendations

Our Giacometti Artist in Residence Richard Malone talks about some of the books he has read and loved recently. Malone's response to Giacometti: From Life, Knot Bend Gesture Bind, is on display in our Millennium Wing Studio until 4 September. Admission free.

Richard says:

I read ferociously, usually poems or fiction. Often finding poets who've written a novel is a total gift. I find it much easier to read and follow writing whose structure is less formal, or more inventive and true to the author's thought process.

I've also loved books that serve to educate and create spaces for nuance and understanding, especially those by Emma Dabiri, Sinéad Burke and Alan Downs; their writing is beautiful, human, endearing and informative.

Conceptually, I’ve been researching so much on semantics, language, its limitations and especially the Irish language and how much abundance of meaning and connection to nature is within it.

Recent favourites that I can’t recommend enough:

Fiction & poems

Grace Wilentz - The Limit of Light 
Seán Hewitt - All Down Darkness Wide
Doireann ní Ghríofa - A Ghost in the Throat 
Frank O' Hara - Poems Retrieved 
Ali Smith - Quartet
Bernardine Evaristo - Girl, Woman, Other

Informative

Emma Dabiri - What White People Can Do Next
Sinéad Burke - Break the Mould*
Alan Downs - The Velvet Rage 

Language & semantics:

Manchán Magan - Thirty-two Words for a Field 
Susan Sontag - Against Interpretation 
Niamh O' Malley - Gather**

*Sinéad is a dear friend and wrote this book for children during lockdown. It’s beautiful and learned and should be read to all young people.

** Niamh O' Malley’s book to go alongside her Venice Biennale installation is full of beautiful and inspiring written pieces.

About Richard Malone's residency in the Gallery

Read more about Malone's time in the Gallery, exploring the Giacometti exhibition as well as archival material.

Giacometti: From Life continues until 4 September. It is co-organised by the National Gallery of Ireland and the Fondation Giacometti.

Arthaus Hotel is the Giacometti Artist Residency Accommodation Partner.