Indigenous art sale to aid Indigenous medical students
Sydney’s Shalom College is selling over $1 million of Aboriginal art…and the revenue will fund residential scholarships for indigenous medical students.
Jenny Hillman and Suzie Spira discuss the exhibition
Now on its sixth year, the art show features work from many sought-after artists including Judy Watson and Shorty Robertson…and its revenues will counter the drop-out rate of Indigenous students who found it too difficult to maintain themselves financially during their student years.
In December, the exhibition’s organisers saw the fruits of their labour realised when the first Aboriginal participant in the scheme graduated as a doctor at the university.
Curators of the exhibition, Jenny Hillman and Suzie Spira told J-Wire: “We have carried out a complete makeover of Shalom College. Five rooms were converted into an art gallery with special lighting installed. Two of the artists joined us for the opening which was performed by the State Governor, Marie Bashir.”
Brendan Phillips is a second year medical student at the UNSW and is benefiting from the program. His story is on display and it reads: ” I successfully completed first year medicine at the UNSW in 2007, but I had to defer due to financial and family problems. I am committed to completing my medical degree which I could never do without the Shalom Gamarada scholarship.
Works on sale start at $150 and the exhibition will close on Sunday.
Currently, fourteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands students are benefiting from the revenue of previous exhibitions…representing more than half of the Indigenous students currently studying at the University of New South Wales.
Mention J-Wire if you visit the exhibition and receive a free entry into a draw for a special art book.
Where: Caspary Conference Centre, Barker St, Kensington
Works from $150
