Had my Saturday morning disturbed by happening upon Dunphy's interview with Anne Madden on RTE Radio 1. I was captivated by the sheer awfulness of it all. Dunphy at his most fawning and deferential - Madden at her most queenly and mannered - her self-esteem a thing of wonder. The great unspoken of course is that nobody would be the slightest bit interested in Anne Madden if it were not for her being married to the great Louis le Brocquy. This also goes for her impending show at IMMA. Her art is slight and decorative and I can think of 50 Irish artists more deserving of a show at IMMA.
She made much (encouraged by the shameless Dunphy) of her relationship with Beckett and Francis Bacon. Funny how I never heard mention of her in any of the biographies I've read of these two. Bacon, she claimed, said she had a third eye - this enabled her to guide le Brocquy in his work.
She does have nice taste in music mind you. She chose a fine John Coltrane piece and wonderful version of the Miserere by some Oxbridge choir.
