2023 Iris Fisher Scholarship Recipient
Bena Jackson makes sculptures and installations. Her practice considers community actions in public space and urban environments where agency, ingenuity, potential, and tension intersect. Bena’s recent exhibitions include Castle Mall (2023) at RM Gallery, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland; Camera phone (2021) at play_station space, Te Whānganui-a-Tara Wellington; and Bound in secret knots (2021) with Teresa Collins at Enjoy Contemporary Art Space, Te Whānganui-a-Tara Wellington.
History
The scholarship is named after Iris Fisher, who was a founding member of the Pakuranga Arts Society and the driving force behind the creation of the Fisher Gallery, later to become Te Tuhi. Her original bequest has fostered contemporary visual arts practice and in particular, art education. The Iris Fisher Scholarship has been created to encourage and assist an excellent postgraduate visual art student with their studies.
The scholarship
The Iris Fisher Scholarship is awarded to one recipient annually. The award is $5,000 and is payable in one lump sum. It is envisaged that these funds will be put toward fees, materials, travel or a purpose which will support the recipient to successfully complete their final year of tertiary study.
Eligibility
The scholarship is to support a student enrolled in a visual arts/fine arts course of study at tertiary level, according to the following requirements:
- Applicants must be in their final year of a postgraduate course of study at an institution accredited by the Tertiary Education Commission. This must be either 4th year (level 700) Honours, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters degree, or equivalent – both full-time and part-time students are accepted.
- Applicants must provide proof of their current postgraduate enrolment status.
- The Iris Fisher Scholarship is not available to any person who has an employment contract with Te Tuhi.
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