The Irish Museum of Modern Art last year invited Laureate na n’Óg Siobhán Parkinson to write a new trail for children featuring its outdoor artworks. The museum was looking for a more literary approach to its sculptures that would encourage families to explore artworks through the eyes and words of a writer.

Siobhán responded enthusiastically. Both alone and in the company of children, she visited her favourite sculptures from IMMA’s Collection in the museum grounds and wrote Look, No Cows, a text that is personal, original and unpretentious. In particular, she showed how a visually impaired person can compensate by smelling artworks and by shouting or singing at them!

The Museum of Modern Art was also lucky that the designer of Look, No Cows, Peter Maybury, interpreted Siobhán’s text with sensitivity and artistic flair. It is delightful to see how his design responds to her words. The booklet includes a map and is available free of charge in the museum.

Despite a day of relentless rain, filmmaker Peter Salisbury made a beautiful video of Siobhán walking the trail with children. You can watch it on the IMMA website by clicking here.