Alison Ballance
Goldsmiths MFA Award
2015/16
Alison Ballance draws the insides of holes whilst writing about early motherhood. She also makes textiles for brutalized women, paints Shame in watercolour and plans at some point to make a children’s book (she suspects this is to do with delight). Her research is in fragments, the colour red and feminisms. She has shown work at Temple Bar Gallery, AM Gallery, Serf Gallery, PEER, The Showrooom, ICA and Focal Point Gallery.
Alison was selected by David Batchelor (artist and lecturer, Goldsmiths), Jane Hamlyn (award donor), Adriana Paice (award donor, Artisa Foundation), and Julia Lancaster (Acme).
After completing her award in September 2016, Alison presentedWherewithal at PEER alongside fellow early career programme artists Hugo Brazão, Rutie Borthwick, and Harriet Foyster.
Goldsmiths MFA Award
The Goldsmiths MFA Award is a partnership between Acme, Goldsmiths, University of London and Jane Hamlyn. With the goal of providing a bridge between college and professional practice, the award includes a bursary, rent-free studio space and a mentoring programme tailored specifically to the graduate’s practice. Recipients of Acme’s early career programme occupy shared studio space in order to foster and encourage a greater degree of peer support and an environment of growth, risk-taking and excellence.
