Mimi's making the moves in the arts
by Emma Masters
Budding photographer Mimi Kelly appears to have the world at her feet. This year Mimi graduated with first class honours in Visual Arts, topping her class and taking home a coveted UniSA alumni award.
She also participated in a national exhibition with the best visual arts students in the country.
And if she hasn’t been busy enough, she is currently undertaking a Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management) at UniSA and working part-time at the Contemporary Arts Centre of South Australia.
It was a special photographic project in high school that sparked Mimi’s
love affair with art and photography.
“It was then I knew photography was something I wanted to pursue and so I
applied for visual arts at UniSA – and have never looked back,” says Mimi.
So far, Mimi has been involved in more than 20 exhibitions, not bad for 23 years-old.
She says working with other artists and running her own exhibitions has helped her learn important lessons.
“One of my first solo exhibitions was in second year, it was a steep learning curve but the experience was invaluable,” Mimi says.
“I co-curated with another student and we did everything ourselves – applied for the space, got a small grant from UniSA, designed all the invites and won sponsorship. There are so many little facets that you don’t realise you need to focus on until you’re actually involved in it.”
Mimi’s
honours project, a series of photographs exploring identity and gender, has
already featured in a number of exhibitions – RECORD/PLAY/PAUSE, curated by
UniSA students Clint Woodger and Sarah CrowEST, the 2003 Helpmann Academy
Graduate Exhibition and the recent Hatched 04 National Graduate Show at the
Perth Institute of Contemporary Art.
“Hatched 04 was fantastic. There were more than 50 students from nearly every arts school in Australia with work ranging from video, sculpture, painting, installation and glass,” says Mimi.
“Only a handful of interstate students managed to go. Myself and three other participating SASA students received a Helpmann Academy grant covering our travel and accommodation costs, so we felt really lucky.
“It was great to meet the other students and talk to them about their art as well as meet the teachers, curators and critics.”
An internship at South Australia’s Contemporary Arts Centre last year led to Mimi’s current casual position as a gallery assistant. She says this practical experience, along with studying arts management, has given her an opportunity to map out another side of the arts industry.
“It’s really important as an artist to understand all facets of the arts industry such as policy, grant applications and exhibiting,” she says.
“Ultimately, I want to continue practicing as an artist, perhaps even run my own business, but I would also love to gain work in the arts and cultural industry, in whatever capacity it may be. I would love to combine these areas because art is my life and my passion.”