CIRCA Art Magazine - Art News - Aosdána: new members and Saoi / home improvements anyone? / National Memorial commission awarded (Friday 30 March 2007)

Aosdána: new members and Saoi / home improvements anyone? / National Memorial commission awarded (Friday 30 March 2007)

The highest Aosdána award, that of Saoi, has been granted to painter Patrick Scott in recognition of his lifetime's work.

Artists elected to Aosdána at a meeting on Wednesday were Brian Henderson, Eamon Colman, Vivienne Dick, Pat Harris, Paul Mosse and Bernadette Kiely.

compiled by Sophie Nellis

Artist Sarah Browne has decided to donate her materials budget for a new artwork to the winner of a public competition, for a 'home improvement' of their choosing. She is seeking entries from the public in the form of a video diary. Each video should briefly describe the kind of home improvement that the entrant wants and the reason why he /she deserves to win the competition. The winner will be selected by a professional panel and by public vote at an exhibition in Cork City from the 23 May to the 8 June 2007. The prize - a unique home renovation worth 1,000 euro.

Browne's Home Improvement Competition was commissioned as part of the National Sculpture Factory's conference des/IRE: designing houses for contemporary Ireland, which is to take place from the 23 to 25 May in Cork City Hall. The aim of the conference is to explore attitudes to domestic architecture, with the intention of proposing a more creative future for the built environment. More information about des/IRE at www.nationalsculpturefactory.com/desire.

If you are interested in entering the competition, the closing date for video entries is 15 May 2007. For further details, including entry forms, or for those with difficulty accessing a video camera, contact Sarah Browne at +353 (0)86 6020292 or homecompetition@yahoo.ie.

Source: National Sculpture Factory press release (28/03/07)

The Republic's Minister for Defence, Willie O’Dea TD, has unveiled the design, site and artist of the first-ever public National Memorial to be erected to members of the Defence Forces who died in service. Artist Brian King won the commission, valued at 175,000 euro, following an international tender competition in which more than 30 artists applied.

The site for the Memorial is Dublin's Merrion Square. All future commemorations for deceased members of the defence forces will take place at the National Memorial.

You can see a mock-up of the new Memorial here.

Source: www.visualartists.ie/sfr_news.html