Arthur Armstrong 1924-1996

Arthur Armstrong was a Northern Irish painter known for his modernist landscapes, still lifes, and, notably, his distinctive collages. Born in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Armstrong originally studied architecture before turning to painting, training at Belfast College of Art and later in Paris. He became associated with the Dublin and Belfast art scenes in the 1950s and was a founding member of the Irish Exhibition of Living Art.

Armstrong’s collages, developed particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, reflected his deep interest in Cubism and the European avant-garde. Using torn paper, found materials, and bold geometric forms, his collages evoked abstracted landscapes and constructed spaces, blending texture, colour, and structure in dynamic compositions. These works demonstrated his sensitivity to rhythm and form, and expanded his exploration of visual balance beyond traditional painting. Armstrong was elected to the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1972 and continued exhibiting widely until his death in 1996.