Curtin art student wins place at prestigious workshops in Italy
Curtin University of Technology student Andrew Varano has won a scholarship to attend prestigious art workshops in Italy with 30 emerging international art students.
Mr Varano, 26, of Northbridge, is in his third year of a Bachelor of Arts course.
He won a $5000 scholarship from Curtin’s School of Design and Art (SODA) to the Fondazione Antonio Ratti’s (FAR) Advanced Workshops in Visual Arts in Como for three weeks in July.
Mr Varano said the workshops would provide him with a rare opportunity to work on a project headed by high profile international artist, Walid Raad.
“I’m really excited to get such a break so early in my career. I will be able to immerse myself in the contemporary European art world,” Mr Varano said.
“I work with a lot of different mediums for my art, including new media, audio visual and computer based systems.
“I’m currently doing sculptural and installation based work. I like looking at the way society is organised and commercial systems.
“My heritage is Italian and I have family in Rome, but I’ve never been to Como.”
The FAR workshops bring together students from around the world to work with a visiting artist. Past artists include Giulio Paolini, Hamish Fulton, Jimmie Durham, Ilya Kabakov, John Armleder, Allan Kaprow, and Marjetica Potrc.
SODA Head, Professor Donal Fitzpatrick, said Curtin became involved with FAR workshops in 1997 through the efforts of senior art lecturer, Pam Gaunt.
“Pam met the organisers during an artist residency in Italy in 1997 and her discussions led to Curtin establishing a scholarship program to send talented students to the workshops,” Professor Fitzpatrick said.
“SODA is delighted to support students like Mr Varano as this is a positive opportunity that will change his life.
“At the end of the workshops, the students present a work-in-progress exhibition. They are then invited back to Milan later in the year to be part of a curated exhibition in two of its best contemporary art spaces, Viafarini Contemporary Art Space and Gallery C/O.”
1 June 2009