Biography
Stephen Copland studied at the National Art School, Sydney (1969-1972), in 1988 he was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Technology Sydney) and a Masters of Fine Art, University of New South Wales (1995). In 2013 he completed a Doctorate of Creative Arts from Wollongong University.
His Migration Series 1992-2002, a project of international exhibitions earned him a Commendation Award from the Consulate General of Lebanon (1999). He is the recipient of a Migration Heritage Grant, an International Programs Grant – NSW Ministry for the Arts, a Vermont Studio Center Grant and was awarded in 2011 the Moya Dyring Studio, Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris AGNSW.
He is the founder of the Migration as Art Museum, an archive of visual ethnography developed over two decades that explores forms of identity, place and migration. Copland has developed innovative programs of migration and heritage education with an emphasis on the study of works of art that engages with interdisciplinary, philosophical and ethical discourse.
In 2016 Copland was invited to present a paper about the museum at ICOM 24th General Conference/Museums and Cultural Landscapes/Milano, Italy.
The artist was selected for the Juror’s Choice at Art Venice Biennale 1V San Marco Salizada Malipiero Venice, and Liquid Rooms—The Labyrinth Palazzo Ca’ Zanardi, Venice . 2017.
More recently Copland 2018 presented a paper at EASA Biennial Conference “Nationalism Old and New: Europe, Australia and their Others” He also exhibited in the exhibition “Otherings” Curated by Fiona Fell and Jaume de Cordoba, University of Barcelona.
Following this the artist conducted a 3-day workshop in conjunction with his Migration as Art Museum at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts, Turin Italy. The Academy of Turin is one of the oldest in Italy. In recent years the Albertina Academy has been transformed and renewed, promoting countless didactic and cultural activities.
In 2019 Copland accepted an invitation to attend the Diaspora in Action conference (https://www.lde-leb.com/) and exhibit artworks from his The Migration Series (1992-2002) at the amazing Diaspora Museum, Batroun (http://www.al-mohajer.com/social.php?id=29&lng=en). Recently his video work "Drifting through Data" was selected for exhibition at the 2nd Biennale of Contemporary Art, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Alita/Byblos, Lebanon.
His Migration Series 1992-2002, a project of international exhibitions earned him a Commendation Award from the Consulate General of Lebanon (1999).
(https://izi.travel/en/ea5c-migration-as-art-museum/en)