aaanz
Welcome to the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand!
Art history is more diverse and dynamic than ever. Not only can its subjects encompass rock art, gilded altarpieces and tins of artist excrement, as a discipline it is also expanding into areas like cinema, design, and fashion, and thus incorporating new theoretical perspectives. As feminism, post-colonialism, and globalism continue to challenge the ways we think about art, and as new museums make art more popular than ever, it is a fascinating time to be reading and writing art history.
aaanz executive and staff
President: Dr Ann Stephen
Treasurer: Donna West Brett
Business Manager: Kate Sanetra
Administrator: Rebecca Kummerfeld
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
ACT: Dr Elisabeth Findlay
NSW: Dr Susan Best
New Zealand: David Maskill
New Zealand: Assoc Prof Mark Stocker
NT: Dr Anita Angel
QLD: Dr Rosemary Hawker
TAS: Dr Llewelyn Negrin
VIC: Dr Susan Lowish
WA: Winthrop Professor Richard Read
PUBLISHING REPRESENTATIVES
Online: Assoc Prof Joanna Mendelssohn
Journal: Assoc Prof Andrew McNamara
a brief history
The visual arts have had a relatively short life within the Australasian academies. Until the mid-twentieth century, no Australian or New Zealand universities offered art or art history as a subject. Art was relegated to technical education or teacher-training colleges, though many students pursued art training at private schools, studios, and societies.
The first university fine art department was established at The University of Melbourne in 1947 following the endowment of the Herald Chair of Fine Arts by newspaper magnate Keith Murdoch. Two decades later, The University of Sydney established the Power Institute and Power Professor of Art History in 1967, as part of the visionary bequest of the expatriate artist JW Power.
In 1974 the Art Association of Australia was founded to act as a professional body for the region’s art historians, critics, curators, artists, and art students. Becoming the Art Association of Australia & New Zealand (AAANZ) in 1999, this body now has over thirty- five years’ experience in fostering art history, art theory, curatorship, and critical practice, each of which are vital to the entire Australasian art sector. Today our diverse membership encompasses those studying and working in university departments, art schools and art museums across Australasia as well as many independent scholars and artists.
The journal and annual conference are our principal activities and move from city to city, while the Executive remains regionally representative, so its members recognise the regional issues that inform art history and practice. The Association believes art history is an indispensable part of intellectual life, and is committed to developing stronger links between art museums and universities both locally and internationally. We encourage all art historians and students of art history in Australasia to participate in our activities.