International art
by Katrina Kalleske
Two
senior lecturers from UniSA have paved the way for a new partnership
with one of China's most prestigious art institutions – the
Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA).
Program Director Greg Donovan and Portfolio Leader Teaching and Learning Andrew Hill from the School of Art, Architecture and Design recently returned from Guangzhou where they had solo exhibitions at the Art Museum of the Academy.
Recently ranked third among China's art research bodies,
the Art Museum of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts hosts only two
or three international exhibitions a year in its calendar of 24
exhibitions.
The work by the two UniSA lecturers was identified by GAFA
in 2007 as being of international standard and of interest to its
audience which potentially includes its 4500 undergraduate and
postgraduate students who work across visual art, architecture and
design disciplines, paralleling those of the School of Art,
Architecture and Design.
Vice
President (International) of the Academy, Zhao Jian said the art
work is important for the manner in which it explored the
relationship between the traditional arts practices of painting and
drawing and the rapidly evolving medium of digital printmaking.
Jian also stressed the significance of the exhibition in
building the Academy's international links, and highlighted UniSA's
enthusiastic and outward looking approach towards international
relationships.
On his return from China, Donovan said that the Academy is
very keen to develop a Memorandum of Understanding with UniSA in
regards to future staff and student exchanges.
"It is a terrific opportunity for the School," Donovan
said. "The Academy is highly regarded in China and also has strong
international links to the European art community."
The Art Museum will acquire a number of the works from the
exhibition to add to its permanent collection.