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Artistic relationships under scrutiny

16 April 2008

Dr Burke's research will examine the notion of the lone artistic genius and how art is produced within creative partnerships.

Renowned novelist, curator and scholar Dr Janine Burke has taken up a five-year research fellowship with the Faculty of Arts.

Dr Burke said her research would examine the notion of the lone artistic genius, exploring the dynamic creative partnerships between poet Rainer Maria Rilke and sculptor Auguste Rodin, artist Hannah Höch and sculptor and writer Raoul Hausmann, Australian artists Thea Proctor and Margaret Preston, and musician John Lennon and artist Yoko Ono.

"My research will challenge the idea that making art is a solitary occupation, instead focusing on productive relationships that have resulted in key artworks," Dr Burke said.

During Dr Burke's fellowship she will curate exhibitions at Monash and in Toronto, Canada and convene a conference at the Prato Centre.

Dr Burke has had an outstanding career in the creative arts. She has written sixteen books of art history, biography and fiction including the groundbreaking Australian Women Artists, Australian Gothic: A Life of Albert Tucker and The gods of Freud: Sigmund Freud's Art Collection.

She won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award in 1987 and has been short listed for the Miles Franklin award, The Age Book of the Year award and many other key Australian writing prizes.

Dean of Arts, Professor Rae Frances said the Faculty of Arts was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a wonderful scholar and to foster the Faculty's already strong relationship with the arts.

Dr Burke holds the fellowship jointly in the Centre for Women's Studies and Gender Research, School of Political and Social Inquiry and the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies.

Listen to the POD cast of Dr Burke's welcome.