World-renowned sculptor to visit Lorrha this Sunday
As part of Heritage Week, August 13 - 21, the heritage sub committee of Lorrha Development Association will honour sculptor Imogen Stuart for her contribution to the arts.
St Ruadhán's Catholic Church, Lorrha, contains three pieces designed and created by Imogen: an ambo, the altar and a presider's chair. She has never visited Lorrha to see her artwork, which is in situ since 1977.
Imogen Stuart is one of Ireland's foremost sculptors. Her prodigious work in a variety of media has attracted international attention and critical acclaim over a career that spans the last seven decades. Born in 1927, her early life was spent in Berlin and her German expressionist style shines out. On leaving Germany in 1949, she married Ian Stuart. Imogen has been described by her biographer Brian Fallon as “a woman of two worlds - German by birth, Irish by adoption.”
Imogen's sculptures may be seen across Ireland in churches and market squares, in rarefield academic settings, and in private collections. Now in her 90s, Imogen continues to work from her studio in County Dublin, and she is currently engaged in the production of commissions and large-scale personal projects.
Imogen has developed a signature style of narrative sculpture, drawing on multifarious influences; her idiosyncratic approach pays homage to German expressionism, Bavarian roccoco churches, Egyptian sculpture and primitive art. She has also been especially influenced by ancient Irish art and culture, stone carving, metalwork and early Christian literature aned poetry.
HISTORIC CHURCH
St Ruadhán's Church, built in 1813, is situated beside the old Dominican abbey and is constructed from stone taken from the ruin. The last Dominican friar, Fr Alexander Fitzgerald, who was also parish priest, organised the refurbishment of St Ruadhán's in the 1970s. He assembled a team of parishioners to fundraise, enlisted the services of architects Anthony and Barbara O'Neill and a number of leading artists of the time, including sculptor Imogen, who designed a new altar (‘table of the Eucharist’), new ambo (‘table of the Word’) and celebrant's chair with seating in the church to match. All were designed in line with the ‘noble simplicity’ called for in the Decree on the Liturgy in the Second Vatican Council.
Imogen will be honoured with an event taking place in St Ruadhán’s Church this Sunday, August 14, at 3pm (seats to be taken by 2.45pm). The Lorrha community is delighted to welcome Imogen as a special guest to the historic village and extend to her the recognition she deserves.