SHANNON Fine Art student, Asha Murray, has been named the first ever recipient of the TUS Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD) Global Travel Award, worth €5,000.
The inaugural award ceremony was held on the Technological University of the Shannon’s Clare Street Limerick Campus last week as part of the inaugural Masters in Fine Art Exhibition reception.
As the first ever winner of the award, Asha plans to use the funding to enrol in a master class in Berlin, and complete internships in some of the most recognised art galleries across the world.
“This award will allow me to continue to achieve the goals I have set out for myself after leaving LSAD and to support me to reach them; whilst also giving me the confidence that I can make a place for myself in a global sense,” she said.
The moving images artist plans to enrol in a film course or workshop in Berlin.
“The course I have chosen is a ‘Master Class in Experimental and Personal Filmmaking by Rouzbeh Rashidi’ – an experimental filmmaker and artist I admire,” she said. “This course is so exciting to me as my practice is strongly rooted in experimental film, moving image visuals and colour. In my final year in LSAD I also began exploring the elements of sound and installation within my experimental films.”
Asha also plans to intern in a gallery and learn about curating. She was one of four students shortlisted for the LSAD Global Travel award.
In order to enter, BA Fine Art Students of 2023 prepared an online submission package with images of their work and provided a statement outlining the purpose for which they were seeking this award, the value, importance or novelty of their work and how the award would assist with their creative development.
The winner was selected by a highly respected panel of artists and curators including artist Amanda Coogan, curator and director of the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, Aoife Ruane, curator of Lismore Castle Arts, Paul McAree and chaired by Patrick Murphy, director of the Royal Hibernian Academy.
The winner was announced by Matt Packer Director of EVA.
“The Global Travel Award, which is worth €5,000, was open to all of those graduating from our BA in Fine Art in 2023 and will be awarded annually for the next three years,” said Mike Fitzpatrick, dean of the Limerick School of Art and Design and Director of Cultural Engagement ay TUS. We are delighted that this generous philanthropic funding has been made available for our students with support from The Ireland Funds. LSAD is honoured to be the only Art School in Ireland to offer such a prestigious travel award.”
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.