A senior lecturer in Art Theory from the School of Art has won a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for her biography of an unsung Australian photographer.

Helen Ennis won the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-Fiction this month for her book Margaret Michaelis: Love, loss and photography.

Ms Ennis said she was drawn to the subject when working as photography curator at the National Gallery in 1985.

“Michaelis had just died, and her estate was about to be packed off for auction. I was allowed to look through it, and found the amazing photographs that she had taken in Europe and kept hidden since arriving in Australia in 1939.”

 This unexpected find led Ms Ennis to uncover more about the life of Michaelis, including her passionate relationship with her first husband.

Ms Ennis is currently curating an exhibition for the National Portrait Gallery, and has just completed a book called Photography and Australia for an English publisher. 

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On Campus September 2006

New PVCs take up the challenge

Science awards strengthen teaching and research

Scientists of tomorrow find new home at ANU

Simple truths shine at student speaking competition

Staff initiative speeds up range of ANU student applications

Chinese energy use takes centre stage at conference

50 years of Classics celebrated 

Science teachers feel the force

Senate changes a case of “suck it and see”: Expert

Briefs

Meet Simon Haines in People@ANU