UniCentre Art Award commemorates Yang Sheng An

Sep 03, 2003

An inaugural art prize to be awarded at the 14th annual "UniCentre Acquisitive Art Award exhibition opening will honour the memory of talented young Taiwanese artist and former UOW student, "Victor" Yang Sheng An, who drowned while surfing at East Corrimal Beach in December 2002.

The official opening and award ceremony will take place tomorrow, Thursday 4 September, at 12:30pm in the Long Gallery of the Creative Arts building (25), at the University of Wollongong.

Instigated by the University's Postgraduate Association (WUPA), the "The 'Victor Yang Memorial Art Prize' has also been supported by UOW's Office of Development and Public Affairs, with $500 to be awarded to a landscape artwork. His family have also donated a copy of their son's journal (a catalogue of his work in eastern and western art and painted porcelain glaze on ceramics) to accompany the prize.

Fellow UOW Canadian postgraduate colleague Lycia Trouton said that during his time spent living and studying in Wollongong, Victor fell in love with the coastline and surrounding environment, greatly influencing his artwork.

"Spirituality was also an important part of Victor's life. This award will carry his memory and talent into the future, as well as help nurture the talent of other young artists," Lycia said.

"Victor's family, through grieving this terrible tragedy and loss, have developed a strong connection with Australia and the Illawarra, which signifies the real cross-cultural connections which exist as a result of the many talented international students who come to study at the University," she said.

There are more than 70 entries in the three regular categories vying for the chance to be acquired and represent the University of Wollongong in the National Tertiary Art Prize.

The categories are; Two Dimensional, Three Dimensional and Photography.

For more information on "Victor" Yang Sheng-An contact Associate Professor Diana Wood Conroy, Postgraduate Coordinator at the Faculty of Creative Arts, on 4221 4269, or Lycia Trouton on 4221 3387. (Both will be at the launch on Thursday 4 September 2003 at 12.30pm)

For general information on the Acquisitive Arts Award, contact Adene Rigley, Activities Coordinator at the Unicentre, on 4221 8024.

Note:

Also opening on Thursday at 12:30 pm, "Fractalia - The Microcosmic World of Fractal Art" in the Cloisters Gallery. A collection of digital prints has been selected from fractal artists across the globe to show the relationship that art, maths and nature can have. Discovered by Benoit Mandelbrot in the 1970's, Fractals are based on art generated by maths.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128