The winners of the 2007-08 Vera List University Art Collection Writing Award, with prizes ranging from $200 to $400, are six students from Lang, The New School for General Studies, and Parsons.

On April 22, they celebrated their achievements in an informal gathering with artist and 2007-08 VLC Fellow Marjetica Potrc, whose work some had analyzed in their essays. In their conversation, they explored the relationship between visual and literary practice and the role of criticism for both.

This year, the prizes were awarded to the following students:

First Prize Creative Response: Julia Hermannsdottir, “The Butcher” (in response to Rirkrit Tirjavanjia, Untitled) [Illustration Sophomore!]

First Prize Critical Response: Hannes Steen Thornhammar, untitled text (in response to Earl Staley, Triumph of Bacchus)

Second Prize Creative Response: Brandon Johnson, “Warriors” (in response to Marjetica Potrc, Warriors)

Second Prize Critical Response: Kyle Garson, untitled text (in response to Rachel Harrison, Perth Amboy)

Honorable Mention Creative Response: Nicole Dular, “Somewhere Between” (in response to Rudolf Schwarzkogler, Untitled)

Honorable Mention Critical Response: Veronica Cassidy, “Trapped in the Intestinal Tract: Kara Walker’s Event Horizon”

The winners were selected by a jury composed of the following members:

Neil Gordon, dean of Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts
Carin Kuoni, director of the Vera List Center for Art and Politics
Joshua Mack, member of the Vera List Center Advisory Committee; writer for Time Out New York and Modern Painters
Rosemary O’Neill, associate dean of Faculty Affairs and associate professor of art history, Parsons The New School for Design
Robert Polito, director of the Writing Program and the MFA in Creative Writing, The New School for General Studies
Silvia Rocciolo, co-curator of the New School Art Collection

The Vera List University Art Collection Writing Award honors the best critical and creative essays written by students in response to the university’s collection of more than 1,800 artworks. Established in 1996 by the late Vera List, a life trustee of The New School, it is presented once a year.

For further information on the award or the VLC, please contact Carin Kuoni, the Vera List Center for Art and Politics, at kuonic@newschool.edu.

Congratulations to Julia and all the other winners on their accomplishments!