Wednesday 9 April
12.45 – 1.30pm
Cell Block Theatre

Fergus Berney-Gibson was the recipient of the ²⁰²⁴⁄₂₅ Mark Henry Cain Memorial Travel Scholarship. He undertook a study trip to the United Kingdom to enhance his research which is concerned with heritage leather-craft and textiles. During his travels he encountered Celtic metalwork, contemporary photomedia practices, diverse curatorial approaches and an emergent connection to place. Berney-Gibson will share his perspective on unexpected sources of inspiration, and what to expect for students applying for the ²⁰²⁵⁄₂₆ Travel Scholarship.

Berney-Gibson holds a BFA in Printmaking from the National Art School (2020) and a Graduate Certificate in Art Curation from the University of Sydney (2022). Most recently, Berney-Gibson was selected as a finalist for the 2024 Macquarie Emerging Artist Prize. His practice explores fraternal mythopoeia and gendered ritual through a queer lens.  He combines found textiles, domestic objects, and fragmented photo-documentation to form an alternative fraternal historiography. His upcoming solo show is at Firstdraft in May 2025.

The Mark Henry Cain Memorial Scholarship supports an MFA student to travel for their artistic research for a period of 6 – 8 weeks in the UK (including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). The award is supported by generous endowment made by a private donor. Applications for 2025/2026 and will reopen in April 2025.