The 2013 Alexandra Reinhardt Memorial Award Artist Residency has been awarded to UK-based Macedonian artist Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva. The £12,000 residency award provides an opportunity for an artist to inspire young people by enabling them to interact in the making of an artwork in the public realm. The host venue for the 2013 residency is mima, Middlesbrough.
During the ten week residency, Hadzi-Vasileva, who is representing Macedonia at the 55th Venice Biennale next year, will work closely with mima’s Creative Apprentices. They will develop an education programme with school children, young people and their families, leading to the creation of a sculptural sound work to be installed in mima’s garden in autumn 2013. The work will also become part of mima’s collection.
The award was established in 2005 in memory of the artist Alexandra Reinhardt who died in 2004 aged 43 having battled with a rare blood disorder and profound deafness all her life. It is currently facilitated by engage, the National Association for Gallery Education.
Speaking of her delight at being selected to undertake the residency, Hadzi-Vasileva, a member of the AIR Council, said: “I look forward to collaborating with local communities and immersing myself in the history and culture of Middlesbrough. I plan to create a work that responds to historical manufacturing industries and current service industries in the area, and to the stories of the local people.”
Marie Neeson, Education Manager at mima, added: “We are delighted to be hosting the Alexandra Reinhardt Memorial Award Artist Residency at mima next spring. Elpida stood out not only for the high quality of her work, but also as an artist who would really embrace the locality of Middlesbrough, connecting with local residents and the industrial heritage of the town. We are always looking for new ways for people to engage with mima in meaningful ways and this offers a perfect opportunity.”
More on a-n.co.uk:
Residencies on Jobs and opps – Opportunities to engage with a specific site or community (subscriber resource).
Awards on Jobs and opps – Funding schemes, travel awards, fellowships and bursaries (subscriber resource).
Residencies on Knowledge bank – includes profiles ofUK and international residencies and the artists that have been awarded them.
