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.
His work has been exhibited in public and private collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
He is considered a pioneer of modernism in many aspects of Irish culture, including design. The orange-and-black livery of Iarnród Éireann's train carriages was designed by him, and is based on the colour of his pet cat.
He has had tapestry commissions from, among others, the European Parliament, Strasbourg and the Bank of Ireland.
Mr Scott, who left the assembly after receiving the applause of his peers, will join fellow Saoithe Seamus Heaney, Louis le Brocquy, Anthony Cronin and Brian Friel. Until yesterday, the number of Saoithe was limited to five, however the assembly passed a motion to raise that limit to seven.
The Aosdána membership also elected 15 new members from 25 nominees. For the first time in the organisation's 26-year history, choreographers were among those accepted.
David Bolger, founder of CoisCéim Dance Theatre, and Cindy Cummins, an American choreographer who moved to Ireland in 1990, became the first members from their discipline.
The other new members come from across the artistic spectrum. They are: writer Kerry Hardie; poets Pat Boran and Ciaran O'Driscoll; artists Brian Henderson, Eamon Colman, Vivienne Dick, Pat Harris, Paul Mosse and Bernadette Kiely; writer and actor Donal O'Kelly; architect Shane de Blacam; and the musicians Trevor Knight and Trevor McLachlan.
Their election brings the total membership to 227. Artists resident in Ireland are entitled to an annual "cnuas" of €12,000.
