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Artist Imogen Stuart is awarded the Mary Immaculate McAuley medal
PRESIDENT Mary McAleese visited Mary Immaculate College last Friday to present the McAuley Medal to artist Imogen Stuart in honour of her lifetime contribution to the arts in Ireland.
President McAleese said it was a "joy" to be a part of this celebration to honour "a wonderful human being and exceptional artist whose association with this College goes back over half a century."
The McAuley Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the college, and is named in memory of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Catholic Sisters of Mercy.
"Those on whom the McAuley medal is bestowed are recognised by Mary Immaculate College as torch-bearers, as people who have the gift of illuminating life with an exceptional radiance. Imogen is such a human being, though if she never painted or sculpted a thing, she would still be a remarkably vibrant generous, life-enhancing human being," said President McAleese.
Six of her works are in the Mary Immaculate College collection and may be viewed in the college's new gallery.
Prof. Peadar Cremin, President of Mary Immaculate College, said the college feels privileged to have provided a home for several of her most notable works.
"Imogen Stuart has been a unifying force in Irish art and, correspondingly, in Irish society itself. For more than half a century Imogen Stuart has been a torch-bearer for all that is innately good in human endeavour, its capacity to make a difference and its potential to contribute to the enrichment of the community at large," he said.
Ms Stuart said one of the first big commissions she received after coming to live in Ireland in 1951 was from Mary Immaculate College, and since then her relationship with the college has lasted more than fifty years.
"I am very pleased that my works are beautifully situated within the college and very well cared for, which is very important to me," she said.
Her move to Ireland from her native Berlin can be credited with meeting Ian Stuart, the son of writer Francis Stuart and Iseult Gonne, the daughter of Maud Gonne. Imogen visited Ireland with him in 1949, and now lives in Dublin.
The late Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the inaugural recipient of the McAuley Medal in 2008.
Tanaiste Mary Coughlan will also visit the campus on September 24 to open two new buildings following a major capital investment programme worth €40 million.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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