Artist Insider: Namila Benson

Artist Insider: Namila Benson

2020-07-01

For our latest Artist Insider video, we talk to Namila Benson, journalist, broadcaster and host of The Art Show on ABC Radio National. Namila talks about her artist interviews for NIRIN, the depiction of black bodies, how a boat united many communities, and why the 22^nd Biennale of Sydney is a gamechanger.

After closing in March 2020 due to Coronavirus, NIRIN reopened to the public on June 1, and will run until October. Exhibition venues are Artspace, Cockatoo Island, Campbelltown Art Centre, Art Gallery of NSW and Museum of Contemporary Art.

Watch the full interview linked below.

Image courtesy Namila Benson. Photo: Nick Harrison

Join us for Open Day this Saturday!

Today is your last chance to register to secure your spot (link in bio). Visit our Eventbrite page to download the Open Day program brochure and plan your day.

View Instagram post by nas_au

Sep 4

Open post by nas_au with ID 18093839890739543

Join us for Open Day this Saturday!

Today is your last chance to register to secure your spot (link in bio). Visit our Eventbrite page to download the Open Day program brochure and plan your day.

The National Art School is seeking an outstanding and experienced arts educator to join us as Head of Learning and Teaching.

The successful candidate will provide academic leadership including working closely with the Heads of academic departments and programs to lead the development and implementation of learning and teaching activities of higher education programs. This includes the development and delivery of curricula, the management of departmental staff and the development of learning and teaching resources.

The Head of Learning and Teaching is expected to provide artistic and scholarly leadership through professional example and will have a track record of original and innovative contributions to the advancement of scholarship, research and teaching within their respective field.

To learn more about the position and to apply, visit nas.edu.au.

View Instagram post by nas_au

Sep 3

Open post by nas_au with ID 18061436009075038

The National Art School is seeking an outstanding and experienced arts educator to join us as Head of Learning and Teaching.

The successful candidate will provide academic leadership including working closely with the Heads of academic departments and programs to lead the development and implementation of learning and teaching activities of higher education programs. This includes the development and delivery of curricula, the management of departmental staff and the development of learning and teaching resources.

The Head of Learning and Teaching is expected to provide artistic and scholarly leadership through professional example and will have a track record of original and innovative contributions to the advancement of scholarship, research and teaching within their respective field.

To learn more about the position and to apply, visit nas.edu.au.

Congratulations to NAS Alumni Ali Tahayori (@alitahayori) for being named the recipient of the 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging). and to Sophie Cape (@sophiecapeartist) for winning the 2025 Hadley`s Art Prize.

With a history spanning over 120 years, the 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship remains one of the most significant springboards for the next generation of artists in NSW. The 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship exhibition is on now at Artspace (@artspacesydney).

Established by Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart in 2017, the Hadley’s Art Prize (@hadleysartprize) is one of Australia’s most lucrative art awards that celebrates landscape art. The collection of winning artworks are displayed at Hadley’s Orient Hotel.

---
1) Ali Tahayori, `Union and Separation`, 2025. Installation view, 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging), Artspace, Sydney, 2025. Photo: Hamish McIntosh

2) Sophie Cape, `Thunder shifts the shivering sands`, 2024, rust, charcoal, soil, pigment and binder on canvas, 148cm x 160cm. Photo: Jessica King

View Instagram post by nas_au

Sep 2

Open post by nas_au with ID 18111609766468286

Congratulations to NAS Alumni Ali Tahayori (@alitahayori) for being named the recipient of the 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging). and to Sophie Cape (@sophiecapeartist) for winning the 2025 Hadley's Art Prize.

With a history spanning over 120 years, the 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship remains one of the most significant springboards for the next generation of artists in NSW. The 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship exhibition is on now at Artspace (@artspacesydney).

Established by Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart in 2017, the Hadley’s Art Prize (@hadleysartprize) is one of Australia’s most lucrative art awards that celebrates landscape art. The collection of winning artworks are displayed at Hadley’s Orient Hotel.

---
1) Ali Tahayori, 'Union and Separation', 2025. Installation view, 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging), Artspace, Sydney, 2025. Photo: Hamish McIntosh

2) Sophie Cape, 'Thunder shifts the shivering sands', 2024, rust, charcoal, soil, pigment and binder on canvas, 148cm x 160cm. Photo: Jessica King

Visit the National Art School this Saturday to peek inside the iconic sandstone walls of our campus.

See what life is like for our students by dropping into open studios across the campus, participting in studio demonstration, chatting to our academic staff in one-on-one consultation sessions and taking a gruided tour around the campus.

Make sure to RSVP in advance to secure your spot and receive a free tote bag - limited stock available! (Link in bio)

View Instagram post by nas_au

Sep 1

Open post by nas_au with ID 18011001653787880

Visit the National Art School this Saturday to peek inside the iconic sandstone walls of our campus.

See what life is like for our students by dropping into open studios across the campus, participting in studio demonstration, chatting to our academic staff in one-on-one consultation sessions and taking a gruided tour around the campus.

Make sure to RSVP in advance to secure your spot and receive a free tote bag - limited stock available! (Link in bio)

The National Art School is excited to present the next wave of Australia’s artistic talent at Sydney Contemporary 2025.

Located at Booth J12, we will be showcasing the work of nine emerging artists who have recently graduated from either our Master of Fine Art Program or our Bachelor of Fine Art Program. Highlighting the breadth and diversity of the National Art School’s program—renowned for its studio-based learning and practice-driven teaching—the NAS booth will feature outstanding work by emerging artists, including Jake Bartley @_trizm__, Christian Bonett @christian_bonett_art, Harrison Chao @w4r.h4mm3r, Lewis Doherty @lewisstepsandrew, Isabella Kennedy @isa.kennedy, Rachel Mackay @rachelmackay.art, Megan McKenzie @megan_mckenzie_, Johanna Ng @johanna__ng, and Taylor Steel @taylor__steel.

Learn more about our artists at the link in bio.

11 – 14 September, Carriageworks. We look forward to seeing you there!
—
Jake Bartley, ‘Im at the Root of All Evil’, 2025, oil on canvas, 195 x 157.5 cm; Christian Bonett, ‘The G(A)Y team van’, 2024, glazed earthenware, 48 x 23 x 20 cm; Harison Chao, ‘Spectacular Optical’, 2024, oil on canvas, 110 x 95 cm; Lewis Doherty, ‘Carriage/Study for a Pattern’, 2025, bronze, casting remnants. 30 x 23.1 x 17 cm, unique; Isabella Kennedy, ‘swaddle/shroud’, 2024, inkjet print on Epson matte, 44 x 29.5 cm, edition of 3; Rachel Mackay, ‘Chimera 7’, 2025, oil on canvas, 91.4 x 61 cm; Megan McKenzie, ‘Float’, 2024, raku, stoneware and textured glazes, 70 x 30 x 30 cm (ceramics pieces only, height for suspension is variable); Johanna Ng, ‘a man holding a camera walks with a woman in front of an advertisement for carte bradesco’, 2024, from the series ‘Every Asian in Sex and the City’, inkjet print on clear film, inkjet print on cotton rag, 80.5 x 59.4 cm; Taylor Steel, ‘gathering dust’, 2024, polycarbonate, epoxy resin, toner, acetate, enamel, aluminium composite panel and stainless steel, aluminium frame, 31 x 25.5 cm; all images courtesy and © the artists

View Instagram post by nas_au

Aug 30

Open post by nas_au with ID 18068749985335296

The National Art School is excited to present the next wave of Australia’s artistic talent at Sydney Contemporary 2025.

Located at Booth J12, we will be showcasing the work of nine emerging artists who have recently graduated from either our Master of Fine Art Program or our Bachelor of Fine Art Program. Highlighting the breadth and diversity of the National Art School’s program—renowned for its studio-based learning and practice-driven teaching—the NAS booth will feature outstanding work by emerging artists, including Jake Bartley @_trizm__, Christian Bonett @christian_bonett_art, Harrison Chao @w4r.h4mm3r, Lewis Doherty @lewisstepsandrew, Isabella Kennedy @isa.kennedy, Rachel Mackay @rachelmackay.art, Megan McKenzie @megan_mckenzie_, Johanna Ng @johanna__ng, and Taylor Steel @taylor__steel.

Learn more about our artists at the link in bio.

11 – 14 September, Carriageworks. We look forward to seeing you there!
—
Jake Bartley, ‘Im at the Root of All Evil’, 2025, oil on canvas, 195 x 157.5 cm; Christian Bonett, ‘The G(A)Y team van’, 2024, glazed earthenware, 48 x 23 x 20 cm; Harison Chao, ‘Spectacular Optical’, 2024, oil on canvas, 110 x 95 cm; Lewis Doherty, ‘Carriage/Study for a Pattern’, 2025, bronze, casting remnants. 30 x 23.1 x 17 cm, unique; Isabella Kennedy, ‘swaddle/shroud’, 2024, inkjet print on Epson matte, 44 x 29.5 cm, edition of 3; Rachel Mackay, ‘Chimera 7’, 2025, oil on canvas, 91.4 x 61 cm; Megan McKenzie, ‘Float’, 2024, raku, stoneware and textured glazes, 70 x 30 x 30 cm (ceramics pieces only, height for suspension is variable); Johanna Ng, ‘a man holding a camera walks with a woman in front of an advertisement for carte bradesco’, 2024, from the series ‘Every Asian in Sex and the City’, inkjet print on clear film, inkjet print on cotton rag, 80.5 x 59.4 cm; Taylor Steel, ‘gathering dust’, 2024, polycarbonate, epoxy resin, toner, acetate, enamel, aluminium composite panel and stainless steel, aluminium frame, 31 x 25.5 cm; all images courtesy and © the artists

The National Art School was sad to hear that artist Robert Eadie died on the 22nd August at the age of 84.

He had been a practicing artist since he graduated from the National Art School in 1966, working across multiple mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking. He had a profound influence on his fellow students, including his friend of 60 years, Bill Brown, and they both taught together later at NAS. Bill remembers that ‘he was an inspiring teacher, who never taught ideals; in form, in concepts or outcomes. Instead, he showed students how to make sense of themselves, for the betterment of themselves.’

The National Art School sends our condolences to Rob’s family and many friends, and acknowledges his great contribution to the School.

Read the full Vale at nas.edu.au.
—
Robert Eadie, c. 1978; Robert Eadie, `Figure on the beach`, 1966, oil on canvas on board, 53 x 54.5cm, National Art School Collection

View Instagram post by nas_au

Aug 29

Open post by nas_au with ID 17971266089929342

Artist Insider: Namila Benson