Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding has been named Create NSW and Artspace Visual Arts Emerging Fellow for 2020.
Mr Golding will use the prestigious $30,000 fellowship to develop his professional practice through research to establish new narratives of contemporary Aboriginal cultural identity in urban space. The fellowship will enable Mr Golding to purchase technical equipment and access archival materials within local cultural centres and community.
Minister for the Arts, Don Harwin announced the news and congratulated all eight shortlisted recipients for their exceptional works at this year's exhibition.
"In its 24th year at Artspace, the NSW Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship continues to nurture and guide the professional development and career advancement of NSW contemporary artists and expand opportunities within the arts sector," Mr Harwin said.
"Congratulations to Dennis Golding, the first Aboriginal winner of the fellowship, whose program will enable a deeper understanding of Aboriginal identity and connection with community through the powerful medium of visual arts. I look forward to seeing his future works."
The fellowship recipient is chosen by a panel of industry peers, which this year included Clothilde Bullen (Senior Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections and Exhibitions, MCA, Sydney), EO Gill (2018 NSW Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship recipient), Lauretta Morton (Director, Newcastle Art Gallery), Steven Alderton (Director, National Art School, Sydney), and Talia Linz (Curator, Artspace).
Artspace Executive Director Alexie Glass-Kantor and co-curator Elyse Goldfinch added, "We are thrilled that Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding is the 2020 fellowship recipient and it's timely that this accolade aligns with NAIDOC Week, an important recognition of Australia's First Peoples. Spanning artistic and curatorial disciplines, Mr Golding is an emerging leader in his community, and we are excited to see where this opportunity will take his continued research and practice. We were deeply honoured to work with all eight finalists in the fellowship. They represent a new generation shaping the future of artistic practice, critical ideas and cultural leadership."
Fellow shortlisted artists Akil Ahamat, Tarik Ahlip, Tiyan Baker, Kate Brown, Julia Gutman, Nadia Hernández and Kirtika Kain were present at the exhibition launch.
The 2020 NSW Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship exhibition will run at Artspace Visual Arts Centre, Woolloomooloo until Sunday 13 December 2020.
