There were felicidades all round on Tuesday night at the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Enrique Juncosa, director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, received congratulations as news spread that he had been selected as curator of Irish artists' work for the prestigious International Contemporary Art Fair (ARCO) in Madrid in February 2005.

The Irish exhibition will be shown alongside displays from 30 other countries. "Since my arrival here in February of this year, I have been greatly impressed by the Irish scene and have discovered quite a large number of interesting and original artists," he said.

Juncosa is much in demand these days, having been asked to be sole selector for the international open exhibition, Perspective 2003, which takes place in the Ormeau Baths Gallery in Belfast from September 11th to October 18th. The Spaniard will also adjudicate at the Kerry Film Festival 2003, which will showcase 26 short films. and runs from October 20th to 26th.

The gathering at IMMA took place to mark the opening of artist Paul Morrison's exhibition, Haematoxylon.

He travelled from London to attend with his partner Suzi Parry, his daughter, Angel Morrison-Parry, his assistant Robert Orchardson and Jason Beard, designer of the catalogue.

Artists Clare Langan, David McDermott and Jaki Irvine were also there to view the work, which will remain on show until October 5th.