Sculptor Michelle Nikou awarded the 2024 Guildhouse Fellowship
Dec 18, 2024, updated Dec 18, 2024
Acclaimed South Australian sculptor Michelle Nikou has been named the 2024 Guildhouse Fellow, securing a 12-month fellowship valued at more than $50,000.
The Guildhouse Fellowship, a joint initiative between Guildhouse, the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), and the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation, is a cornerstone program fostering artistic excellence in South Australia.
Nikou, known for her surrealist sculptures that breathe new life into everyday objects, impressed the selection panel with her “quiet and sustained commitment to practice,” along with a bold willingness to push boundaries.
“I am deeply honoured to be awarded the Guildhouse Fellowship,” Nikou said.
“This opportunity represents a pivotal moment in my practice, enabling me to explore new directions, undertake extensive research, and create work that pushes the boundaries of my artistic expression.”
The fellowship provides Nikou with a year of dedicated time, funding for research and development, travel opportunities, and the chance to create new work culminating in a presentation at AGSA.
Nikou’s sculptures, often crafted from lead, bronze, resin and ceramics, are playful yet poignant, imbuing the ordinary with unexpected significance. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is held in collections such as the National Gallery of Australia and the Clo Fleiss Collection in Paris – as well as AGSA.
The selection panel, comprised of AGSA Acting Director Emma Fey, Guildhouse Board Member Christian Hall, and guest judge Dr. Rebecca Coates, Director of the Monash University Museum of Art, praised Nikou’s dedication and the depth of her proposed fellowship project.
“We were impressed by Michelle’s quiet and sustained commitment to practice and the continued rigour of her self-reflective inquiry,” the panel said in a joint statement.
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“This, coupled with a bold confidence to venture into uncharted territory and fully embrace the opportunities presented by the fellowship, made her an outstanding candidate.”
The Guildhouse Fellowship plays a vital role in supporting South Australian artists at a pivotal stage in their careers. Past recipients like Troy-Anthony Baylis, Sera Waters, Liam Fleming, and Tom Philips have all seen their artistic practice flourish after receiving the fellowship.
In 2025, AGSA will showcase new work by 2023 Fellow Kyoko Hashimoto, a testament to the program’s lasting impact.
“The Guildhouse Fellowship makes a unique contribution to the development of South Australian artists’ careers and the state’s cultural economy more broadly,” said James & Diana Ramsay Foundation Executive Director Kerry de Lorme.
“It has been inspiring to witness the tangible impact the fellowship has had on past recipients and the ongoing ripple effects it continues to create for their professional careers.”