News
samstag media release
2010 SAMSTAG SCHOLARSHIPS
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Two Australian artists have been presented with 2010
Anne & Gordon Samstag International Visual Arts Scholarships, in an announcement
made by the University of South Australia today. The University has awarded the
prestigious scholarships - for study overseas in the visual arts commencing in
2010 - on behalf of the Trustee of the estate of Gordon Samstag, late of Naples,
Florida USA.
The two fortunate artists are Alex Lawler, an exciting recent graduate from
Sydney College of the Arts, New South Wales, and
Michelle Nikou, a South
Australian artist whose intriguing and highly original practice already enjoys
substantial national recognition. They each will receive a twelve months living
allowance of US$35,000 (United States dollars), as well as travel expenses and
the cost of institutional study fees, at
a leading international art school of their choice.
News of this year's Samstag Scholarships has been eagerly awaited by artists and
observers in the wider Australian art world, following last year's temporary
'scholarship moratorium', introduced by the Samstag Trustee as a prudent measure
during the global economic crisis.
In a strong sign of confidence,
Erica Green - Director of UniSA's
Anne & Gordon Samstag Museum of Art, which
administers the scholarships program, says the Trustee was committed to offering
scholarships this year and was, "very keen to keep faith with young Australian
artists, knowing they look enthusiastically to Samstag as their best-possible
passport to greater professional success." But she suggests that a cautious
approach will be maintained by the Trustee until the economic recovery is firmly
in place.
Artist judges for the 2010 Samstag Scholarships were Associate Professor John Barbour,
Director of the South Australian School of Art, Louise Haselton, artist and
lecturer at the School of Art and Dr Peter Hill, the prominent Melbourne-based
artist, writer and educator.
Peter Hill says he "jumped with joy at the opportunity," when asked to be the
external selector for this year's awards. An internationally-renowned writer on
the visual arts and author of the best-selling book, 'Stargazing: memoirs of a
young lighthouse keeper', Hill says, "I've always maintained that the best thing
that has happened to contemporary art in Australia is the Samstag Scholarships.
The Samstags have taken the best Australian artists overseas and placed them
within the world's finest art schools. The knowledge these graduates gain has
then returned with them to Australia, benefitting the whole infrastructure of
this country's visual arts scene!"
Now in their eighteenth award year, the Samstag Scholarships are renowned for
identifying artists of exciting talent, who progress to careers of high
achievement. A total of 118 Samstag Scholarships have been awarded since 1992.
For further information contact
Erica Green, Director, Samstag Museum of Art
Tel + 618 (08) 8302 0872
Email: erica.green@unisa.edu.au
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