John Kaldor, who is known for his passion for contemporary art, has engaged five acclaimed young Australian video artists, Shaun Gladwell, Jess MacNeil, Joan Ross, Grant Stevens and Daniel von Sturmer to be involved in his latest education project, MOVE Primary: Art in Motion, a new video art resource for primary school students which will be launched at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on 13 September.

This new contemporary video art resource draws on the success of MOVE: Video Art in Schools, launched in 2008, which has been distributed to more than 1800 secondary schools in Australia and has attracted international interest and discussion.

John Kaldor AM said, “I want to open the eyes of the young to the wonders of contemporary art. MOVE Primary is our first art education project for primary school students throughout Australia. Our mission in education is to develop readily accessible and relevant programs for schools and tertiary institutions, combining the highest standards in education and contemporary art practice and creating innovative materials that inspire the imagination.”

The resource is centred on five video artworks: Shaun Gladwell’s Kickflipper: Fragments Edit (Hospital Transmission) 2010; Jess MacNeil’s The Swimmers 2009; Joan Ross’s Funny face I love you 2010; Grant Stevens’s Macaroni 2010 and Daniel von Sturmer’s The Object of Things (Sequence 2) 2007 (excerpt). Students will ‘meet’ the artists through video introductions and gain insights into their inspirations, themes and techniques.

MOVE Primary is a collaboration between Kaldor Public Art Projects and the NSW Department of Education and Communities through its NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre.

MOVE Primary offers students a dynamic journey into this most contemporary of art forms, through age-appropriate making and appreciating activities, supported by comprehensive teaching notes. The resource can be accessed on the internet and used on computers including laptops and iPads.

Greg Prior, Deputy Director-General, Schools, will launch MOVE Primary. Artists Joan Ross and Daniel von Sturmer will discuss their work and Ferncourt Public School children will demonstrate the resource.

For over 40 years, Kaldor Public Art Projects has created groundbreaking projects with international artists in public spaces, changing the landscape of contemporary art in Australia with site-specific artworks that resonate around the world. Upcoming events include Project 24: Michael Landy’s Acts of Kindness in association with Art & About, 23 September – 23 October 2011.