The strength of familial ties in the face of political unrest, in particular that of her own family in Chile, is central to the practice of Melbourne-based artist Camila Galaz, who is this year’s recipient of the $20K MECCA M-Power grant program for emerging women Visual Artists or Designers.
The daughter of a Chilean political refugee who fought against the Pinochet dictatorship, Camila Galaz’s work explores her longing to understand familial history through revisiting culturally significant events. She uses her practice to understand the role of second-generation refugees and to create strategies for healing and living with the impact of state violence.
Using repetition as an artistic tool, Camila Galaz’s drawing and video-based practice investigates memory, place and construction of identity as it relates to specific social groups. These works use repeated movement as a metaphor for memories that are transferred across generations. A multi-disciplinary artist, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (First Class Honours) in Painting at RMIT University and has gone on to exhibit extensively in both group and solo shows across Melbourne and Los Angeles.
Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV said, ‘Through the MECCA M-Power Mentoring Scholarship, the NGV and MECCA Brands offer support to early-career women artists by providing access to funding, mentoring and opportunities for educational growth. Camila Galaz’s poignant investigation of her heritage translates across contexts and histories and we are delighted to announce her as the winner of this year’s annual prize.’
Now in its second year, the MECCA M-Power Mentoring Scholarship empowers and engages local women artists, providing a 12-month experience that includes a $20,000 cash grant, tailored mentoring from both NGV and MECCA Brands resources, professional networking opportunities and ongoing learning opportunities with industry experts.
‘MECCA Brands has enjoyed a long and rich partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria and we are committed to empowering women in the arts. Through MECCA M-Power we’re delighted to support Camila Galaz and help her realise her artistic ambitions,’ said Jo Horgan, founder and co-CEO, MECCA Brands.
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