Dr. Sarah Scott

Biography

Sarah Scott is a lecturer in Art History and Theory at the Australian National University, where she focuses on the dynamics of Australian Nations art in an increasingly global context. She co-edited the influential publication 'Crosscurrents: Australian Nations and Non-Indigenous Art,' which examines the varied responses from non-Indigenous artists, curators, and critics to the complexities of reconciliation and truth-telling in Australia. In her chapter 'Aesthetically Similar Politically Far Apart,' Scott contrasts the works of Aboriginal activist designer Bill Onus with settler designer Byram Mansell, highlighting cultural resistance and revival amid assimilationist agendas prevalent in the mid-20th century. Currently, she is working on a solo-authored book that delves into the representation of Australian Nations peoples and their appropriation in settler modernist art, featuring discussions on significant artists like Russell Drysdale and Violet Teague. She has developed a new course, ARTH2176, offered in 2024, which includes guest lectures from artists and curators associated with Australian Nations art. Previously, she has lectured at Charles Darwin University, Swinburne University, and the University of Melbourne, and was awarded the Rydon Fellowship in 2012 for her work on the international representation of Australian art.

Research Interests

Experience