The Hugh Lane Gallery is to close to the public for refurbishment works in September.
The planned refurbishment of the gallery, which houses the studio of the late internationally renowned painter Francis Bacon, will proceed alongside the construction of the new city library for Dublin in Parnell Square.
From September 28th, the gallery’s doors will close to facilitate the renovation and the safe removal of artworks. In an update, Dublin City Council did not specify a time frame for the upgrade works.
The refurbishment is part of a major investment in Parnell Square North that the council said will “reshape the square into a significant cultural quarter and enrich the experience of Dublin’s citizens and visitors to the city”.
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Works are planned to upgrade the original 1930s wing of the building “to 21st-century museum standards of security and environmental controls”, the council added in a statement issued to city councillors.
The council outlined that the refurbishment “will ensure the preservation of the collection for future generations and will enhance our ability to secure significant international loans for major temporary exhibitions”.
In relation to Bacon’s studio, the council said it will be “fully protected throughout the temporary closure period and will remain on-site”.
The Irish-born painter’s most notable works include crucifixions, self-portraits and portraits of popes and of close friends. In 2013, Bacon’s Three Studies of Lucian Freud (1969) became his most expensive work sold at auction, achieving more than €103 million at Christie’s in New York.
The gallery’s refurbishment is a Part 8 (Planning) submission that involves roof works, including the upgrading of the existing roof to the 1930s wing and the Francis Bacon Studio; the replacement of existing rooflights; and the installation of a fall-arrest and access systems for safe, permanent roof access.
The work also entails the installation of environmental services in the 1930s wing, new mechanical and electrical systems, new data cabling, ductwork and a lighting system.
The refurbishment will also include a direct link between the Hugh Lane Gallery and the new Dublin city library creating what the council said would be “a unique cultural experience across art and literature”.
An update to councillors from the council is to be provided in early September.
