Issued by: Beth Stafford
414-229-4800
bstaff@uwm.edu
Date: June 20, 2002
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Issued by: Beth Stafford Date: June 20, 2002 |
UWM's Peter Doroshenko
Receives Prestigious French AwardMILWAUKEE -Peter Doroshenko, director of the Institute of Visual Arts (inova), Peck School of the Arts, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has been awarded the diploma of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the government of France.
Doroshenko received the certificate and letter of congratulations in April, 2002 from Catherine Tasca, French Minister of Culture and Communication. In July an awards celebration will be held at the French Consulate in Chicago for regional honorees, followed several weeks later by a medal ceremony at the Ministry of Culture in Paris. Recipients of this distinction are entitled to wear the insignia of this order--a medal suspended from a colored ribbon of white stripes against a green background--for formal occasions.
The Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters was established in 1957 to recognize eminent artists and writers, and those who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world. The Order consists of three ranks-Chevalier, Officier and Commandeur-and is given out twice annually to only a few hundred people worldwide. Beside Doroshenko, John Downey, composer and distinguished professor emeritus in UWM's Department of Music, is the only other person from Milwaukee to be so honored.
Since Doroshenko assumed his position as director of inova six years ago, he and his staff of curators from around the world have succeeded in creating a reputation for the institute as an international showplace for contemporary art that expands the artistic envelope, and that has drawn attention and accolades from the national and international art community.
Among the French artists who have had shows at inova are Ange Leccia, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, and Jean-Luc Vilmouth. Adel Abdessemed is scheduled for a future exhibition.
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