On 1st of May the Polish paintress, object and installation artist Iwona Liegmann (35) from Toruń will start her artist-in-residence stay in Essen. She will live and work in the Stellwerk building until the end of October 2006. Six years ago she was in Essen for the first time and then had exhibitions in Gallery Bredeney and Gallery Obrist.

Her project has the working title Looking for garden dwarves ready to reveal their secrets. Liegmann´s also individually motivated application referred precisely to the topics of the scholarship announcement. So it convinced the majority of the jury. Her works between painting and object art show a wide-ranged, original and visually impressive quality. The artist is planning to realise a multi-part installation work for her stay which will be exhibited finally.

This year´s jury consisted of the following members:

·         Andreas Dunkel, Bochum. Art historian, Member of Stellwerk Zollverein e.V., Essen

·         Ditmar Schaedel, Kevelaer. Photographer, lecturer in the Faculty 1 – Art and Design – of the University Duisburg-Essen, board member of the Section Education and Professional Development in the DGPh e.V. (German Association for Photography), board member of Verein zur Foerderung der Kunstpaedagogik (Association for the Advancement of Art Pedagogy), Duisburg

·         Frank Schlag, Essen. Gallery owner, Galerie F. Schlag & Cie., Essen

·         Li Silberberg, Bochum. artist, member of Bochumer Künstlerbund e.V. (Artists Association Bochum), member of Verein zur Veranstaltung von Kunstausstellungen e.V. (Association for Presentation of Art Exhibitions), Duesseldorf

·         Ulrich Stroeher, Darmstadt. executive chairman of Stiftung Zollverein (Foundation Zollverein), Essen