Sanderson are pleased to congratulate Julia Holderness who has been awarded her PhD in Visual Arts (AUT University).
Her thesis is titled ‘Ever Present Archiving: methodologies for art histories through fabrication, invention and social practice.’
The examiners congratulated Julia on her contribution to New Zealand feminist art historiography through her artistic research, stating;
"A project that seeks to redress the absence of women artists from the New Zealand canon would at first seem best served by educating its public about the relatively unknown practitioners that Julia based Florence Weir upon. However, the strength of the choice to invent a fictional persona is in the way it troubles the solo authorship structure of the canon. Julia’s project successfully foregrounds the relational co-becoming of artistic subjectivities through the emphasis on the shared studio and the importance of friendship. The success of the project lies in the elaborate and precise production of a multitude of works with an evolving aesthetic identity over many exhibitions and the way collaboration was used as an artistic research method to make them.”
During her PhD candidature, Julia has staged a series of significant exhibition projects throughout Aotearoa, including her recent exhibition at Sanderson ‘Schemes for Vibrant Living with Florence Weir’ as part of her practice-led research. Well done Julia on this fascinating project and wonderful achievement
Artwork featured: Julia Holderness, Studio Portrait of Florence Weir in her Studio, 2021, Acrylic on board
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