Aosdána bestows highest honour on painter

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Archiseek / Ireland / News / 2007 / March 28

Busaras Mosaics

The painter Patrick Scott has been elected Saoi of Aosdána. The highest honour within the artists' group, it recognises outstanding achievement by an artist and is a position that is held for life. Mr Scott will receive the symbol of the office of Saoi, the gold torc, from President Mary McAleese in the coming months. The artist was elected through a secret ballot at yesterday's general assembly at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin. A position became vacant upon the death last month of writer Benedict Kiely. Born in Kilbrittain, Co Cork, in 1921, Mr Scott is considered one of Ireland's most important living artists. Originally training as an architect, he worked on the development of Dublin's Busáras, including the building's mosaics. Now living in Dublin, he has been painting full-time since 1960 and has developed an international reputation for pared-down minimal work inspired by the emblem of the sun on the Japanese flag. There is a strong Japanese influence in his work.

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