President Michael D. Higgins announces winner of 1916 sculpture competition
Date: Fri 16th Dec, 2016 | 16:44
President Michael D. Higgins today (16 December, 2016) announced that sculptor Rachel Joynt has won the prestigious competition to create a 1916 themed sculpture for Áras an Uachtaráin.
"In the past year, we have come together as a nation to commemorate the events which led to our independence as a State. The centenary commemorations were part of a national effort to engage with the past. The Year of Commemorations will be celebrated with a lasting symbolic installation,” said President Higgins.
“As part of the national 'Ireland 2016' programme, marking and celebrating the actions of the women and men of 1916, Sabina and I invited proposals for a sculpture to be placed within the garden setting of Áras an Uachtaráin, the home of the President of Ireland.
We invited leading artists to come up with ideas for a public art installation that would commemorate Ireland's journey towards independence; one that would inspire current and future generations to seek to realise the republican ideals proclaimed a century ago.
The proposals were assessed by an independent and highly respected Competition Jury, chaired by Catríona Crowe. It included Imogen Stuart, Robert Ballagh, Seán Ó Laoire and Jenny Haughton. The shortlisted Artists were invited to make more detailed proposals and were asked to present their ideas to the Jury at Áras an Uachtaráin.
I am pleased to announce today that the Jury, having met with the shortlisted artists to discuss the rationale behind their ideas and methodologies, has decided to select the project entitled ‘Dearcán na nDaoine / People’s Acorn’, by Rachel Joynt.
Rachel’s proposal uses the symbolism of an acorn to represent the combination of individual stories and effort of men and women to imagine and forge a collective future for the Irish nation.
The sculpture will be in bronze and will signify the promise of 1916 and of today for us to journey from seed to majestic oak. The sculpture will contain a ‘time capsule’, housing the writings of some of our youngest and oldest generations with their thoughts, ideas and wishes for Ireland.
I believe that Rachel Joynt’s project will be a fitting and lasting symbol of Ireland's quest for self-determination and our ongoing effort to meet the aspirations of those who dreamed of a different Ireland.”
Note for Editors
This project is being funded through the ‘Ireland 2016’ State commemoration Programme.
The Sculpture will be completed and unveiled towards the end of 2017.
Further details are available at http://www.president.ie/en/public-art-project