FELTspace would like to sincerely thank committee members past and present for their enduring work, ongoing support and advocacy over the years.
THE FELTspace committee / August 2023
Eleen Deprez (Chair)
Eleen Deprez is a philosopher of art, curator, and director of The Little Machine, a gallery dedicated to experimental and contemporary art in Adelaide, Australia. Eleen has curated numerous exhibitions emphasising a philosophical approach and showcasing the work of young and emerging artists alongside established figures. In addition to her role at The Little Machine, Eleen is the chair of FELTspace, Adelaide’s oldest Artist Run Initiative. Previously, Eleen was the curator of Studio 3 Gallery at the University of Kent (UK). She has taught History and Theory of Visual Culture at the Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford (UK), History and Philosophy of Art at the University of Kent, and courses in Contemporary Art at the University of South Australia. She co-edited Debates in Aesthetics, a peer-reviewed journal published by the British Society of Aesthetics, until 2021, and has participated in various international conferences.
Eleen holds an MA in Philosophy from the Free University of Brussels (Belgium), an MA in Fine Arts specialising in installation art from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent (Belgium), and a PhD in History and Philosophy of Art from the University of Kent, focusing on the nature and origins of curated exhibitions.
Shirley Wu (Gallery Manager)
Wu is an emerging artist based in Adelaide who was born and raised in China. Wu spent her early years in her home city Dongguan, Hong Kong and London, where cultivated her multicultural and trilingual background. Wu graduated from the Master of Design program (Contemporary Art) University of South Australia (2019), then started her practice with a focus on contemporary jewellery and sculptural glasswork. Inspired by her previous aromatherapy training in Hong Kong, she goes on the journey of healing through her practice, intends to awaken non-reactive awareness through the meditative creative process. With a strong interest in art as therapy, Wu’s exploration is to help her understand her female body, her diverse cultural identity, her path of migration as well as her childhood memory.
Ava Viscariello (Gallery Manager)
Ava is an arts worker and emerging stylist living and working on Kaurna Land. In 2021, she graduated with a Bachelors of Media and International Relations at The University of Adelaide. Ava currently works at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental and Nexus Arts. Ava has a history of working in the media, arts and fashion industries, but is currently focusing on working in the arts and styling. In her styling work she enjoys collaborating with artists. Ava is passionate about being a part of the arts and is looking forward to joining FELTspace.
Athanasios Lazarou (Grants Officer)
Athanasios (Nasi) Lazarou is an architectural educator and commentator. He teaches across the design studio and representation curricula as a lecturer at the University of Adelaide, where he recently submitted his PhD on the relationship between politics and space during the Greek economic crisis. He regularly curates and contributes to a range of public events across architecture, art and design practice and has extensive experience as an organiser and administrator of exhibitions and events. His writing has appeared in numerous publications such as Architecture AU and Monthly Review. Outside of architecture he engages in abstract sculpture, enjoys making space public through artistic interventions, and is a keen photographer.
Tayer Stead (Admin & Grant Officer)
Tayer is a student artist in their final year of their Bachelor of Visual Arts at Adelaide Central School of Art. Their multi-disciplinary practice explores arbitrary social systems and their resulting psychological consequences. They have an interest in community engaged art as a means for social change and wish to pursue this through their own practice. Outside of the arts, Tayer works in the disability sector and is passionate about increasing accessibility in the Kaurna Adelaide arts ecology.
Tarsha Cameron (Fundraising officer)
Tarsha is an emerging multidisciplinary artist working on Kaurna Yerta who works across installation ( performance art, voice, video, drawing, sound, sculpture, and writing). Her work explores the human condition within the context of interpersonal relationships: speaking to humanity’s interconnectivity, not only with each other but across place, and ancestry (time), and species. Tarsha performed her inaugural self-devised performance art work, “Together We Are Apart,” at the 2019 Adelaide Fringe, followed by the multi-media and performance piece, “Peggy Buxton,” for History Week 2019. “Do You See What I See,” a full-length cross-platform interdisciplinary show, was created in partnership with Dance Hub SA and Arts SA. In 2021 Tarsha was shortlisted for a SALA prize for her performance installation “Unseen/Seen”, and she exhibited "One" at the Mill in 2022. She debuted her cabaret "Unapologetic" at the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe 2022.
Alise Hardy (Treasurer / Finance Officer)
Alise Hardy is artist and arts educator, with an extended arts writing practice. Alise is particularly interested in how non-didactic and practice-centric methodologies shape collaboration and engagement with art and artists. Alise currently works as Education Coordinator at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental, is the Chair of the national Community of Practice for Art Educators, is a Committee Member of Art Education Australia and a member of the HOTA Gallery Education Panel. Previously, Alise has held roles at the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) and the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA). Alise has a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Visual Arts, from Flinders University.
Luna Chan (Finance Officer)
Luna completed her Master of Design (Contemporary Art) at the University of South Australia in 2023, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her artistic journey. Since 2018, Luna has played the role of art administrator at WMA Space, a Hong Kong non-profit contemporary photography initiative.
Luna's practice transcends boundaries and encompasses a spectrum of mediums, centering around the curation of found objects and the creation of still and moving images. Delving into the intricacies of identity, time, and existence, Luna's work presents a narrative that explores our place in the world, offering a perspective on the dynamics of being and being-in-the-world. Through art, Luna invites viewers to embark on a journey that prompts contemplation, challenging preconceptions and sparking a dialogue about the multifaceted nature of the human experience.
Christine Poon (Social Media & Marketing, Web & Design Manager)
Christine Poon (she/her) is an emerging artist from Hong Kong. She currently lives and works on Kaurna Country, in Adelaide, South Australia. She graduated with Honours in Art and Design from University of South Australia in 2021. In her arts practice, Poon focuses on creating artworks that connect to her hometown, and often finds inspiration through her struggles with her own mental health. Poon has a strong desire to connect with audiences from different cultural backgrounds through conceptual art, often working in mix medium, photography and performance art. Poon believes that art is for everyone, and her main goal is to be a liaison between artists, art galleries and local communities. Having lived as someone with a different cultral background living and working in Australia, she is inspired by the people she meets along the way, developing a deeper understanding of personal and social issues while being away from home.
Isla Hannan Francis (Volunteer coordinator)
Isla Hannan Francis is an emerging artist, living and practicing on Kaurna Land, Adelaide, South Australia. She grew up in a creative environment, with both parents working in the arts, inspiring her to pursue a career in the same field. Soon to complete a Bachelor of Contemporary Art at the University of South Australia, she has had solo exhibitions at Upstairs Studio, The Mill Adelaide (2020), Promenade Gallery, Arts in Health at Flinders Medical Centre, (2020) and took part in the group exhibition titled Out of the Box at SASA Gallery (2023). Her practice incorporates text, video, audio, installation, and performance and is primarily concerned with the human body- in particular its ‘sheddings’ and abject nature. Isla hopes to continue the development of her understanding within this area of research in 2024, by completing an Honours degree.
Asha Southcombe (Volunteer Coordinator)
Asha Southcombe is an emerging artist and curator living on Kaurna Country. In 2021 they graduated from Honours in Art and Design at UniSA after completing their Bachelor of Contemporary Art in 2020. Their creative practice is heavily based around the act of mark making, integrating personal thoughts and experiences, alongside their interests in mycology, queer ecology, the natural world and the human. Working within gallery spaces, arts education and admin roles, Asha is passionate about accessibility within these spaces and engaging the broader community with the arts. In 2022 Asha was the Curator-In-Residence at Carclew and most recently undertook a 3 month residency at Sauerbier House in Port Noarlunga, SA which concluded with a solo exhibition during the month of April 2023.
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Former committee members: Suzanne M Close, Sarah Norris, Madeline Reece, Sally Craven, Rebecca McEwan, Brianna Speight, Alice Castello, Lee Walter, Hen Vaughan, Liv Spiers, Tamara Baillie, Ashleigh McLarin, Chelsea Farquhar, Elise Bonato, Bernadette Klavins, Nancy Downes, Kate Kurucz, Alice Blanch, Lauren Abineri, Becci Love, Fiona Borthwick, Luke Wilcox, Jenna Pippett, Carly Snoswell, Serena Wong, Tamzin Buchan, Kate Moskwa, Kate Power, Ray Harris, Tara Tahmasebi, Meg Wilson, Jemimah Dodd, Jess Miley, Derek Sargent, Steph English, Eleanor Scicchitano, Sundari Carmody, Polly Dance, Riley O'Keeffe, Patrick Rees, James L Marshall, Matt Huppatz, Sam Howie, Jessie Lumb, Celeste Aldahn, Brigid Noone (founding member), Rayleen Forester (founding member), Annika Evans (founding member), Monte Masi (founding member), Logan Macdonald (founding member), Nicole Clift (admin), Ena Grozdanic (Chair / Special Projects Coordinator), Suzanne Close (outgoing Finance & Grants Officer), Sarah Norris (Outgoing Gallery Manager).