Tuesday, May 19, 2009

National Art School Welcomes New Director, Professor Anita Taylor


Following the recent announcement of her appointment by the NSW Minister for Education and Training, The Hon Verity Firth MP, Professor Anita Taylor has arrived in Sydney to take up her new role as National Art School Director.

An experienced and highly regarded artist, academic and former Dean of Wimbledon College of Art, London, Anita Taylor comes to the National Art School from her most recent appointment as the Director of The Centre for Drawing at the University of Arts London. Anita has exhibited and taught extensively both in the UK and internationally and in 2005 was elected an Academician of the Royal West of England Academy (RWA), and was recently an appointed member of the Art & Design Panel for the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2008).

Anita is well known to many in the National Art School community, following her visit as Artist in Residence in 2004, and for her instrumental role in the National Art School’s partnership with The Centre for Drawing in 2007 to present Drawing Breath a survey exhibition and symposium hosted by the National Art School Gallery, which documented a decade of the annual Jerwood Drawing Prize - the most prestigious award for contemporary drawing in the UK - of which she is the founding Director.

This wealth of experience, coupled with her sustained belief in the vital role of drawing in contemporary art practice and art education suggest both a deep respect for the greatest traditions of the National Art School and perhaps of equal importance, a similarly great enthusiasm for the future of the School.

"The National Art School has a long and distinguished history,
and I am delightedto have been appointed to lead this exceptional
institution at this particular moment in time. The challenges and
opportunities afforded by our new model of operation as an
independent entity herald an exciting new era in which we can
confidently enhance and develop our unique position in art
education in Australia and in an international context."


Anita Taylor will present a lecture exploring the role of drawing in her practice as an artist as part of the NAS Weekly Forum lecture program on Wednesday, 27 May 2009 at 1.00 PM in the Cell Block Theatre at the National Art School. Attendance is free and members of the public are welcome to attend.

http://www.nas.edu.au/Whats_on_Events.htm

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