Tony Schwensen

Born 1970, Sydney
Bachelor of Arts (Art History and Criticism) 
Graduation show: 1990
Graduation ceremony: 1991

Artworks in Space YZ  

Am I or is Penrith Far Away?, 1990/2020
Acrylic mounted digital print
76 x 56 cm

One man betrayed with a kiss, 1988
Pastel and charcoal on paper
27 x 36 cm
Collection of Terry Hayes 

Based on a work by Ben Vautier from the 1990 Biennale of Sydney entitled Am I or is Australia Far Away? Understanding Western Sydney in 1990 was to Sydney what Australia was to Europe. A long way away and not in anyone’s minds.

The drawing would have been something made whilst thinking in a Foundation Studies project.

The importance and difference of the approach to art education at UWS was made apparent to me after graduating and starting Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts at Sydney College of the Arts. At SCA the vibe seemed to be incredibly uptight and somewhat ungenerous, in a direct contrast to the open, experimental, engaged and engaging thought based approach to making/thinking about art that I have had the fortune of being exposed to at UWS.

The knowledge that the faculty at UWS were as deeply invested in the student's experience as the students through demonstrating that the student experience is not about fancy facilities but about real engagement, with the subject and with the people.

That engagement could happen in the studios, in the interdisciplinary-before-the-word-existed Combined Studies lectures and tutorials with the theatre and dance students, at openings and events at Street Level or maybe over beers and chips with brown onion gravy at the Peachtree Hotel. 

Tertiary art education worldwide is in continual crisis with the ongoing economic rationalisation of universities. The increase in costs has created a horrible situation where return for investment is the primary consideration where training for employment is now the institutional focus, which is a betrayal of everything that education actually is. This leads to the elimination of non-revenue producing streams.

What the administrators will never be able to understand is that what was happening at UWS was priceless. I am indebted to the incredible generosity, communality and approachability of all of the people I worked with at UWS. You gave me a great education.

Read Tony’s tribute to his friend and class-mate Matthew Wood at the Space YZ Reader.