Fia Backström, associate professor of art, was recently awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for fine arts from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Established in 1925 by Senator Simon Guggenheim, the fellowship recognizes innovators in the arts and sciences based on prior career achievement and exceptional promise. The 101st class of fellows includes 223 individuals working across 55 disciplines who were selected from a pool of nearly 5,000 applicants. Applications in the creative arts and humanities increased by 50 percent this year. Backström, an interdisciplinary artist who works in photography, writing, and performance, has been featured at the Queens Museum, Venice Biennale, the Whitney Biennale, and more.

“As the Foundation enters its second century and looks to the future, I feel confident that our new class of Guggenheim Fellows will do bold and inspiring work, undaunted by the challenges ahead. We are honored to support their visionary contributions,” said Edward Hirsch, award-winning poet and president of the Guggenheim Foundation.

School of Art alumnus Kenneth Tam A’04, who currently serves as assistant professor of art at Rice University, also received a Guggenheim Fellowship for fine arts. His practice straddles video, sculpture, installation, and performance.