Catherine Speck

Catherine Speck

School of Humanities

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Catherine Speck Professor Emerita of Art History and Curatorship, and a member of the History Department, with a PhD in Visual Arts from Monash University and a Masters Degree in Art Education from the University of Canberra. Prior to joining the University of Adelaide in 2002, she was Head of Art History and Theory at the SA School of Art, University of South Australia. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities and on the editorial Board of the Design and Australia Online (DAAO).

My research areas are in Australian Art broadly conceived including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, and its borderless and transnational aspects such as expatriate artists including Australian impressionist artists in France in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century, and colonial, modern,  and contemporary  Australian art. Other areas of research are in the areas of gender and art, and gender and the representation of war and peace; the nexus between art history and exhibitions, exhibitionary practice and curatorship, the history of exhibitions and art collectors and collections. I regularly deliver talks and papers on those areas within Australia and internationally.  

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2002 - ongoing Professor Art History;Coordinator postgraduate programs in Art History & Curatorial and Museum Studies, University of Adelaide & Art Gallery of South Australia University of Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2017 Fellowship Fellow, Academy of Humanities of Australia FAHA Academy of Humanities of Australia Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    1996 Monash University Australia PhD
    1986 University of Canberra Australia M.Ed
    1977 Flinders University Australia BA(Hons)
    1971 University of South Australia Australia Dip.T

ARC Grants 

2014: Speck, Catherine, & Harley, R. et. al.  Design and Art Australia Online Research Tool: Enabling Next generation e-research in Australia’s Visual  and Design Cultures, ARC LIEF, $190,000

2011: Speck, C, & Harley, R. et. al.  Design and Art Australia Online: Sustainable data sharing for Australian
researchers and collections, ARC LIEF,  $240,000.

2011-2013: Speck, C, and Mendelssohn, J.; de Lorenzo, C and Inglis, A. ‘Australian Art exhibitions 1960 -2009’,  ARC Linkage ,  $117,000.

2010: Speck, C. and and (V. Johnson, J Mendelssohn, R. Benjamin, C. DeLorenzo, et. al), Dictionary of Australian Artists On-line,   ARC LIEF,  $400,000

2007: Speck, C. and Choate, R.  and (V. Johnson, J Mendelssohn, R. Benjamin, C. DeLorenzo, A. Marsh, D. Palmer, J. Ewington, et. al), Dictionary of Australian Artists On-line, ARC LIEF,  $300,000.

1999-2001: (and Ian North and Rhonda Sharp) ARC Spirt Grant (Linkage), The Samstag Legacy, in conjunction with industry partner, the Samstag program, University of SA, 63,556 

1996-9: (and Kay Lawrence)  ARC Small Grant, Significant Women Artists in the South Australian School of Art 1888-1968, $39,000

Other Grants

2016: Speck, C. ‘Australian Art Exhibitions’, University of Adelaide, $2,500 

2014: Speck, C. ‘Transgressive Landscapes,  University of Adelaide, $3,000

2013: Speck, C. ‘Transgressive Landscapes, Fay Gale Centre for Research into Gender, University of Adelaide, $3,500

2012: Speck, C. and Treagus,  M.  Body work: Performativity, femininities and visual culture, Fay Gale Centre for Research into Gender, University of Adelaide $3,000.   

2010: Speck, C and Mansfield, L. ‘Art history online’, University of Adelaide, $14,000

2009: Speck, C, Heysen to Heysen, National Library of Australia, $7,500.

2009: Speck, C, Overseas conference travel grant, University of Adelaide, $1,000

2009: Speck, C and Mansfield, L. ‘Creating a virtual gallery’, University of Adelaide, $20,000 
 
2008: Speck, C. and Heruc, M ‘Jacob Epstein Symposium’ Arts SA, $5,000. 

2008: Speck, C. University of Adelaide Teaching and Learning Grant, $14,000 University of Adelaide

2007: Speck, C. and Heruc, M. Visual Animals Project Grant,  $3,000 office of Pro-Vice Chancellor Research,

2007: Speck, C, Overseas conference travel grant, University of Adelaide, $2,000

2002: Speck, C. ‘Painting Ghosts: Australian women artists in wartime’, University of Adelaide Minor University Research Grant, $2,075

2001-2: Defining nations: The Two World Wars through the eyes of women artists in Australia, Britain and New Zealand, ATN Grant, $14,998

2000-2001: (and Ian North and Noel Frankham) Opening Pandora’s Paintbox, University of SA, Division of EASS Grant, $55,000

2001: (and Ian North) Cultural complicity: The art of the stolen generation, University of SA, Division of EASS Small Grant, $5,400.

2000-01: (and Ian North) Spirituality and its discontents, University of SA, Division of EASS Small Grant, $1,500; and Helpmann Academy Grant, $4,500.

2000-01: (and Ian North) Margaret Preston’s Aboriginality, University of SA, Division of EASS Small Grant, $4,700.

2000: (and P. Zeplin) Humour and Art, University of SA, Divisional of EASS, $3,000.

2000-01: (and I. North) Where now: Contemporary Australian and Asian art in the New Millennium, Helpmann Academy Grant, $2,500.

2000: (and P. Zeplin) C. Riding the Indian Pacific, Helpmann Academy Grant, $4,998.

1999: (and Pam Zeplin and Barrie Wraith, NASA) $4,000, Helpmann Academy Grant for series of public lectures on Bringing the Asia-Pacific Triennial Down South.

1999: (and Pam Zeplin) $3,500, for series of public lectures on Art and Culture, Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design Fund, University of SA

1996: (and Jim Moss): $11,300: Teaching and Learning Grant, Visual Art History and Theory, University of SA

1995: (and Jude Adams): $5,000: Innovative Teaching Grant, University of SA Gender Inclusive Teaching in the South Australian Art School.

1993-94: $5,700: John Treloar Grant-in-Aid, the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australian Women War Artists.

1992: $1000: University of SA Research Committee, Sybil Craig, Melbourne Modernist.

1991: $6,194: University of SA Research Committee, The art of Official Women War Artists, Stella Bowen, Nora Heysen and Sybil Craig.

1989: $2,400: the SACAE Research Committee, The art of Nora Heysen.

1988: (and Jean Duruz and David Prideaux) $1,200: SACAE Research Committee, Gender Inclusive Curriculum Practice in South Australian Schools.

l987- 89: (and David Prideaux) $5,000: the Non-Government Schools Registration Board Grant, South Australian Education Department, Accelerated Christian Education Junior Primary Language Arts Curriculum, Primary Social Studies Curriculum, and Secondary Science Curriculum.

Courses taught:

Modern Art (International)

Australian Art

Modern Australian Art

Interrogating Australian Colonial Art

Australian Indigenous Art

Curatorial and Museum Studies

Curatorial Exhibition Project 

Dissertation/Research Project in Art History

Decorative Arts and Design

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Principal Supervisor Australian sculptor Ian Bow's career coincided with a transitional period in the discipline, however his figurative style is muted in the historiography. This project builds on contemporary scholarship which asserts the plurality of mid-century Modernism. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Heather Elizabeth Lee

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2014 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Behind the Scenes: Hans Heysen's Art World Networks Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Ralph Mark Body
    2013 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Alexander Schramm (1813-64) and the Visual Representation of Aboriginal People in Mid-Nineteenth Century Colonial Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Susan Woodburn
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Post-Imperial perspectives: British art since 1940 at the Art Gallery of South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Margot Osborne
    2012 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Investigating the Aesthetic Character of Australian Urban Indigenous Art: A Socio-Political Fusion Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Nerina Dunt
    2006 - 2012 Principal Supervisor The Formation of the Japanese Art Collection at the Art Gallery of South Australia 1904-1940: Tangible Evidence of Bunmei Kaika Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Jennifer Harris
    2002 - 2009 Principal Supervisor Changing Fortunes: The History of China Painting in South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Avis Carol Smith
Connect With Me
External Profiles