The 2011-2012 Art Collection Writing Award competition garnered entries from four New School divisions – Eugene Lang College, New School for Public Engagement, New School for Social Research, and Parsons the New School for Design- by students from Bachelor and Master programs with concentrations in Art in Context, Creative Writing: Fiction, Economics, Liberal Studies, Literary Studies: Writing, Media Studies, Philosophy, and Visual Arts.

Award winners actively engaged the university’s art collection and found inspiration in the Vera List Center’s 2011-2013 focus theme, thingness. Thingness, literally the nature of matter, invites us to explore the material conditions of our lives in an age of social media, virtual realities, and disembodied existences. Through a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between objects and people, thingness can encourage more responsible and ethical politics and interactions across spectrums of experience.

During an informal gathering on May 9, 2012, the winners joined Fred Wilson for a celebration and reading in front of Wilson’s sculpture.

The 2011-2012 Art Collection Writing Award winners interpreted thingness-related art works through both creative and critical perspectives:

First Prize Critical Response ($400)
Hillary Bliss, M.A. in Media Studies, New School for Public Engagement,
For her critical essay “Fred Wilson and the Memory of Objects”
Inspired by Fred Wilson, Untitled (Pride & Prejudice), 1993

First Prize Creative Response ($400)
Rebecca Nison, M.F.A. in Creative Writing, New School for Public Engagement
For her short story “Teeth of Giants”
Inspired by Ann McCoy, The Four Alchemical Doors, 1992

Second Prize Creative Response ($200)
Justin Allen, B.A., Eugene Lang College
For his poem “Color Metaphor”
Inspired by David Hammons, African American Flag, 1989

2011-2012 Jury
Carin Kuoni, Director, Vera List Center for Art and Politics
Joshua Mack, Vera List Center Advisory Committee
Kyle Nelson, student representative and candidate for M.A. in Sociology at The New School for Social Research
Rosemary O’Neill, Associate Professor of Art History, School of Art and Design History and Theory, Parsons The New School for Design
Robert Polito, Director, Writing Program and MFA in Creative Writing, The New School for General Studies
Silvia Rocciolo, Co-curator, The New School Art Collection
Wendy S. Walters, Assistant Professor, Literary Studies, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts