Imaging the Land International Research Initiative
ochre house artist's residence at Fowler's Gap
The Imaging the Land International Research Initiative
(ILIRI), established in 2003, is situated within the School of Art at The College Of
Fine Arts, University of New South Wales.
ILIRI's prime focus is to facilitate, investigate and
promote contemporary dialogue relating to imaging the land. At the same time the Initiative is
committed to the advancement of research across an interdisciplinary spectrum of visual, conceptual
and theoretical approaches to issues of land and land-based image making.
Within this scope, the Initiative seeks to explore and develop the
relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous interpretation of land in Australia.
Field trip students at Kinchega National Park.
The Research Initiative is comprised of five principle domains of
activity:
Research.
ILIRI research candidates, working in the area of land imaging at Masters and PhD levels,
are drawn from the COFA Undergraduate and Honours corpus, and other Australian and International
Institutions. ILIRI lecturers are recipients of major grants awarded for projects involving
land-based research.
Residencies.
ILIRI is committed to facilitating research into issues relating to land, through provision
of residencies in custom-built, live-in studios at the Fowler's Gap Research Station in the
semi-arid area of western New South Wales. Australian and international artists, researchers in the
arts and students who focus on issues of land, are eligible to apply.
Lecturer Idris Murphy with students on the Barrier Range.
Teaching.
Specialist electives focussed on direct engagement with the landscape have been
developed by ILIRI. The courses are available to COFA Undergraduate, Honours and M.Art by
Coursework students. Masters by Research and PhD candidates are supervised by ILIRI staff.
Partnerships and Projects.
Global collaborations and partnerships with ILIRI provide an opportunity for a rich domain
of investigative mapping of contemporary relationships with land.
Conferences, Seminars and
Exhibitions.
The dissemination of research through conference, seminar and exhibition programs is an
integral element in publicising ILIRI's work.
Undergraduate students gain experience in mounting exhibitions on their return from the Outback.
Elective Study in the School of Art:
The ILIRI Field Trips.
ILIRI field trips have been supervised by Staff in the School of
Art since 2003. Upon their return to Sydney, the students attend classes and
produce a body of work reflecting the world view that emerges from this unique landscape. At the conclusion of the Field Trip an exhibition of selected
works is held. This exhibition comprises works produced in situ - out in the field and in the studios at Fowler's Gap -
and the work developed in the COFA studios.