Magnus Modus

The National Gallery of Ireland unveiled Magnus Modus, a seven metre tall, free-form sculpture made of multiple layers of laminated olive ash wood, designed by Joseph Welsh Studio.

Can art transcend history while simultaneously addressing the complex relationship between form and function? Joseph Walsh Studio tries to address this question with his Magnus Modus site-specific installation at the National Gallery of Ireland, in Dublin.

Joseph Walsh Studio, Magnus Modus, views at the warehouse, National Gallery of Ireland, 2017. Photo Andrew Bradley
Joseph Walsh Studio, the making of Magnus Modus, National Gallery of Ireland, 2017. Photo Andrew Bradley
Joseph Walsh Studio, the making of Magnus Modus, National Gallery of Ireland, 2017. Photo Andrew Bradley

  A large scale, seven metre tall, free-form sculpture made of multiple layers of laminated olive ash wood is now displayed in the new Courtyard as part of the Gallery’s permanent collection. Magnus Modus is the third large scale installation of the Magnus series. Resting upon a small Kilkenny lime stone base, the sculpture delineates space in its slender aspect, stationed on a tiny footprint, reaching upwards and then outwards. As the sculpture ascends, it becomes lighter and reacts to subtle changes in atmosphere. It creates surrounding spaces, shadows and delicate lines of movement, thereby transforming the viewer into an actor by its responsive presence.

Joseph Walsh Studio, Magnus Modus, installation view at the newly refurbished National Gallery of Ireland, 2017. Photo Roy Hewson


Joseph Walsh Studio. Magnus Modus
National Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square W, 2
Dublin