Imaging the Land International Research Initiative
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.
Five 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.
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.
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.
For more information please contact:
ILIRI Office
Email: iliri@cofa.unsw.edu.au
Louise Fowler-Smith
(Senior Lecturer)
Tel: +61 2 413 692 033
Email: l.fowler-smith@unsw.edu.au
