Congratulations go out to the Fine Arts graduate student recipients of the inaugural Jeffrey Rubinoff Student Scholarships, many of whom gathered at the University Club on March 5 to offer their thanks and mingle with the Rubinoff Foundation’s Betty Kennedy and Karun Koernig. Among those who offered their thoughtful and insightful comments were Arnold Lim and Holly Loveday (Writing), Vithória Konzen Dill (AHVS), Stephen Markwei and Narges Montakhabi (Theatre), Eva Bradavkova (Music) plus Charles Amartey, Ryland Fortie, Sina Khatami and Parvin Hasanibesheli (Visual Arts).
Not able to join us were fellow recipients Jaiya Gray (AHVS), Jamie Davis (Music) plus Liz Bently, Eeman Masood and Rainy Huang (Visual Arts).
Meet two Rubinoff Scholars
One of our inaugural grad student Rubbing Scholars is award-winning Korean-Canadian filmmaker, producer and photographer Arnold Lim. Currently pursuing his MFA in Writing, Lim was twice selected as a recipient of Telefilm’s Talent to Watch program, is a graduate of the National Screen Institute’s Features First program, has been a juror and programmer for numerous film festivals, and the photography manager for four Olympic Games. “I’m a storyteller at heart, and the opportunity to continue that journey as a grad student has been so much greater than I could have ever imagined,” says Lim.
This year, he was writer/director of the mystery/thriller Whisper, the latest (and most ambitious) short film yet created for Writing’s popular film production class, where local film professionals mentor a student crew. “Writing and directing a film in concert with like-minded, passionate classmates under the tutelage of instructors and a supervisor who has gone above and beyond to tailor the program to our learning outcomes has supported tangible and important growth for me as a screenwriter and filmmaker and is a gift I could never repay,” he says.
International student Stephen Markwei is another our Rubinoff Scholars. Hailing from Ghana, Markwei is continually evolving as a dancer, choreographer and multi-disciplinary artist; his artistic talent, combined with a strong social conscience, demonstrates his commitment to his craft and his devotion to addressing important societal issues. His passion for artistic expression and commitment to enhancing human experience through the arts is evident in his dedication to addressing societal issues related to learning disabilities.
Currently pursuing his MA in Theatre by investigating theatre-based interventions to assist individuals with dyslexia, Markwei aims to understand how incorporating sensory modalities into interventions through theatrical activities can benefit those with learning disabilities. “Utilizing multi-sensory methods, including movement and visual cues, in designing learning experiences for individuals with dyslexia can be valuable,” he explains.
About the Rubinoff Scholarships
The Faculty of Fine Arts has developed a strong relationship with the Jeffrey Rubinoff Foundation since 2016 when the late BC sculptor created the Jeffrey Rubinoff Scholar in Art as a Source of Knowledge Endowment at UVic.
That relationship was further strengthened in December 2023 by the creation of the Jeffrey Rubinoff Nexus for Art as a Source of Knowledge, which includes $230,000 in new funding plus a named professorship, this robust set of graduate student scholarships, and the expansion of experiential learning initiatives at the Jeffrey Rubinoff Sculpture Park (JRSP) on Hornby Island.
Rubinoff himself understood art to be a source of knowledge because of its capacity to influence the viewer’s perspective by means of original perceptions. Those Fine Arts students who have spent time at the JRSP since 2017 have expressed profound appreciation for their experiences, while their perspectives and ideas have grown.
You can stay up to date on future activity via the new UVic_Rubinoff Instagram account.