Imogen Stuart. Photograph: Amelia Stein
Congratulations to Imogen Stuart, Edna O’Brien and William Trevor, who have been elected Saoithe in Aosdána. The honour of Saoi is bestowed for singular and sustained distinction in the creative arts. The symbol of the office, a gold torc, was presented to the artists by President Michael D Higgins at the Arts Council, who said: “May I congratulate our three new Saoithe, gabhaim buíochas leo, for the profound and distinctive contribution that each of them has made to the cultural dimension of our society.’ Members of Aosdána nominate and elect the Saoithe and no more than seven artists may hold this honour at any one time. The present Saoithe are: Seoirse Bodley (music), Anthony Cronin (literature), Brian Friel (literature), Edna O’Brien (literature), Camille Souter (visual arts), Imogen Stuart (visual arts), William Trevor (literature).
To celebrate Imogen Stuart’s election to Saoi, we re-publish here Amelia Stein’s eloquent series of photographs documenting Imogen in the creation of an Angel of Peace, for St. Teresa’s Church in Johnson’s Court, Dublin from the Irish Arts Review Summer 2008 edition.
