Country Arts SA recognises that we are living and creating on First Nations Lands and we are committed to working together to honour their living cultures.
Breaking Ground Recipient Awarded to Susie Althorp
Country Arts SA’s highly successful visual arts professional development award Breaking Ground has been awarded to Yorke Peninsula artist Susie Althorp.
Susie will use the award to experiment with how viewers interact with the magic of the natural world. Living on Narungga land, Susie creates works across ceramic, sculpture and installation. Her work combines both science and art, often drawing on her childhood memories of beachcombing to construct narratives about the human condition and ecological environments.
“It’s about making visible that world that no one gets to see,” she said. “I remember vividly the sense of awe I first experienced as a child looking down the eyepiece of a microscope at a new world. I aim to create that feeling of wonder and discovery for the viewer.”
Susie said the Breaking Ground Award will be a game changer for her artistic journey.
“The award empowers me to expand on ideas in my practice with experimentation of new techniques, materials and installation which will undoubtedly inform the presentation of finished works,” she said. “Making new connections and the support of my chosen mentor Catherine Truman, will help push boundaries and build confidence elevating my work professionally.”
The Breaking Ground panel – which consisted of Bridget Alfred, CEO, SALA Festival; Patty Chehade, Director, Praxis Artspace; Marika Davies, Tarnanthi Regional Curator, Country Arts SA + AGSA; Naomi Fallon, Director, Walkway Gallery; Danni Zuvela, Artistic Director, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (ACE) – chose Susie for her nuanced and clear vision for approaching her research.
Country Arts SA Visual Arts Manager Lauren Mustillo said they saw many high-calibre, ambitious and thoughtful proposals from artists right across the state, with a 60 per cent increase on applications from 2022.
“The panel commended Susie’s nuanced and clear vision for approaching her research and felt that it was a timely opportunity for her career-stage, coupled with a strong mentorship component which will see her work with one of South Australia’ leading artists, Catherine Truman, as her chosen mentor. Susie will use the Breaking Ground award to explore the viewer experience, experimenting with ways of displaying new work using historical and contemporary technologies and viewing apparatus to give audiences a magical encounter with unseen parts of the natural world.”
Country Arts SA Chief Executive Anthony Peluso said he looked forward to the world of wonder Susie’s art would bring.
“Susie Althorp is our next Breaking Ground artist with a philosophy borne from her location on Narrunga country/Yorke Peninsula. This unparalleled opportunity for Susie – as she makes new work, guided and provoked by her exceptional mentor Catherine Truman – will result in a world of wonder for all of us to enjoy as part of SALA 2025. I am thrilled for Susie.”
SALA Festival CEO Bridget Alfred said SALA was thrilled to be supporting regional artists through Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award.
“It’s rare that such significant funding and material opportunity is directed specifically towards our regional artists and Susie Althorp is an exciting artist to be watching. We very much look forward to her progress as she works with her mentor over the next year towards the resulting outcome at Praxis Artspace in 2025. We congratulate and encourage all the award nominees, who were of exceptional standard, we will be watching out for them too.”
Since its launch in 2012, the Breaking Ground award has provided South Australian visual artists with the unique opportunity to develop their skills and broaden their professional experience. Susie will receive $10,000 to develop a body of work for a solo exhibition to be held at Praxis Artspace during the 2025 SALA Festival. An additional $5,000 goes towards the mentorship opportunity.
By presenting Breaking Ground during SALA Festival, South Australian regional artists have the opportunity to be part of a state-wide conversation and exhibit alongside some of South Australia’s best and most loved contemporary visual artists.