ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAMME
Launched in 2006, the Visual Studies Artists-in-Residence Programme brings two visiting artists to Lingnan University every year. During their residency with Visual Studies, the artists teach one limited enrollment Studio Practice course in their particular areas of expertise. They also pursue their own artistic projects, typically mounting an exhibition showing work produced at Lingnan at the end of their residency. In many instances these exhibitions offer valuable opportunities for students to gain insight into various curatorial practices. During their time at Lingnan the artists work in a multi-purpose studio dedicated to Visual Studies. This studio allows the Department to recruit artists working with a wide range of artistic media. The Department aims to introduce students to as many forms of artistic expression as possible, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, and photography. During their undergraduate years, Visual Studies students can expect to work closely with between six and eight resident artists.
The purpose of the Artist-in-Residency Programme is to deepen students’ conceptual and historical understanding of the visual arts through artistic practice, construed as a form of creative research expression.
RECRUITMENT CRITERIA
The Department recruits two artists per year, usually in the month of October. Every year the Department aims to recruit:
- one established artist
- one emerging artist
- one local or returning artist
- one non-local artist
The Department further aims at gender balance and at a fair representation of the media of visual expression. Inasmuch as Hong Kong students generally have considerable enthusiasm for photography, and a proven capacity to achieve excellent results in photography, the Department tries to ensure that photographers join the Artist-in-Residence Programme on a regular basis. The Department is particularly interested in recruiting artists who enjoy working closely with students, and who are willing to help students understand the dynamics of the art world. Emphasis is thus placed on the artists’ capacity to function as cultural mediators able to provide a living bridge between the worlds of academia and art.
Recruitment is by invitation, but the Department does welcome expressions of interest at any time of the year. Such expressions will be kept on file and will in all instances be discussed carefully by all members of the Department. Expressions of interest may be sent to Professor Mette Hjort, Head of Visual Studies, at the following email address: mhjort@ln.edu.hk
ARTISTS' DUTIES
The artists are expected to use the Visual Studies studio as their principal site of artistic production during the residency, and to live on-campus in the housing provided by the Department. Artists teach one limited enrollment (20 students) course, and this course meets once a week for three hours. Artists are asked to give two talks, one at the beginning of their residency and one towards the end of their residency. These talks are open to the Lingnan community at large, and whereas the first one typically provides an introduction to the artist’s work and artistic interests, the second talk tends to provide a context for the artist’s upcoming exhibition. This exhibition will typically be organized in either the library or the Lingnan gallery. The Department is committed to producing an exhibition catalogue for each exhibition.
TERMS
The University offers on-campus housing, economy class return airfare for non-local artists, a monthly stipend of 20,000 HK$ and a materials/catalogue budget of 7,000 HK$.
