President Catherine Connolly presided at a ceremony at the Arts Council in Dublin this week to mark the election of artist Dorothy Cross as Saoi of Aosdána.
President Connolly presented Cross with a gold Torc, the symbol of the office of Saoi. The ceremony was attended by colleagues, family and friends of the artist.
The honour is awarded for singular and sustained distinction in the arts.
Born in Cork in 1956, Dorothy Cross works across sculpture, film and photography.
Her best-known works include the Udder series (1992–1994) and Ghostship, which was moored in Dublin Bay in 1999.
She has represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale and the Istanbul Biennale.
In a statement, President Connolly said: "As President of Ireland, I am delighted to present Dorothy Cross with the Golden Torc, the symbol of Saoi of Aosdana, reflecting a lifetime of outstanding creative work and the esteem in which she is held by her artistic peers. I congratulate her on being chosen for this well-deserved honour and, on behalf of the people of Ireland, I thank her for her artistry."
Maura McGrath, Chair of the Arts Council, added: "To date there have been 22 Saoithe, and today, I am delighted to announce that Dorothy Cross's election brings that number to 23. Dorothy Cross is the eighth Saoi in the discipline of visual art, proving her rich and invaluable contributions to the arts in Ireland."
The current Saoithe are composer Roger Doyle, elected in 2019; poet Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, elected in 2022; and poet Paul Muldoon, elected in 2024.
Under Aosdána rules, no more than seven members may hold the title of Saoi at any one time. Members of Aosdána nominate and elect those awarded the honour. To be considered, a candidate must be nominated by at least 15 members.
Aosdána was established in 1981 to honour artists who have made an outstanding contribution to the creative arts in Ireland. Membership is limited to 250 and is by peer nomination for life.
