Four Philadelphians have been named Guggenheim Fellows for this year.
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has announced its prestigious 100th class of fellows, which includes four distinguished Philadelphians among the 198 selected from a competitive field of over 3,500 applicants. The recipients are Jim Downs, a professor at Gettysburg College; Merián Soto, a choreographer; Matthew Levendusky, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania; and Rea Midori Tajiri, a professor and filmmaker at Temple University.
The Guggenheim Fellowship, established in 1925, is designed to support exceptional individuals in the pursuit of scholarly research and artistic creation across various fields. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over 0 million in fellowships to more than 19,000 recipients, reflecting its commitment to fostering creativity and intellectual pursuit. The rigorous application process requires candidates to submit detailed project proposals, along with a budget, which are evaluated by the fellowship’s board of trustees. Those selected receive a monetary stipend and the freedom to independently explore their proposed projects.
Levendusky expressed his surprise and gratitude upon being awarded the fellowship, acknowledging the competitive nature of the selection process. He indicated that winning such an honor is a significant achievement amidst the landscape of educational funding challenges in the current climate.
For Tajiri, this fellowship follows her recent recognition with the United States Artists Fellowship award. Her project, titled “Non-Alien,” will investigate the history of Japanese American resettlement in major U.S. cities following World War II, drawing from her personal family history. Her father was one of the Japanese Americans involved in the government-sponsored resettlement program. Tajiri aims to explore themes of race consciousness stemming from the Civil Rights Movement while highlighting the importance of personal voice in contemporary art.
Similarly, Soto plans to utilize the Guggenheim stipend to advance various legacy projects, bringing her meditative dance series, Branch Dance, to her homeland of Puerto Rico. The esteemed choreographer has enjoyed a prolific career spanning over five decades, and she views this recognition as a validation of her ongoing creative potential.
The array of projects by these artists reflects a deep engagement with personal and historical narratives, underscoring the vital role of artistic expression in addressing contemporary social issues. For more information about the entire list of Guggenheim Fellows and their contributions, visit Media News Source.
