Connor Moolman
Daydream
Short Animated Film
In this work I aim to create a surreal expression of the human psyche in what might be a serene ‘daydream’, hence the name of the artwork. As humans, we have the capacity to think great good or great evil. I wanted to focus on the lighter side of things, and envision what might be a peaceful place where the mind may wonder. The relationship between the undulating mountains, the light ripples of the water, and the soft colours come together to create harmonious tranquillity while the colours and shapes create a surreal atmosphere.
Ela, Viruseh and Winter
Digital Print
Animal experimentation and genetic modification is a problem that many companies face. Whether it be for a human product or for sport, animals are used at the disposal of scientists. My work explores animal testing in a fictional manner, using fantasy like creatures that have either been abused or enhanced. These stylised creatures express the anguish of their treatment in a futuristic world.
Aliah Whitesides
Jedidiah Dones
The Solidarity of Humanity
Almost every individual in the world has been labelled, categorised or numbered in some capacity. In many instances, this can create a stigma or contribute to prejudice; often leaving many people, cultures and ethnicities vulnerable.
Three unique figures that would not normally be seen together have been used in this piece to highlight a sense of solidarity and unity that for the time can only be reached idealistically; Jesus Christ, Frida Kahlo and an unknown African Woman. Each of these figures hold different ideologies, race, traditions and genders – yet they are abstractly represented in unity of their humanity with an ambiguous and curious gaze that solicits a true response from the viewer.
Caitlin Morgan
Aisling
Digital drawing
The imagination has a dreamy and hallucinatory quality that can turn dark and omnipresent. My work explores the interactions between dreams and nightmarish sleep paralysis experiences. Each character within the piece projects shadow and light over past dreams and sleep paralysis ‘episodes’ I’ve experienced. When experiencing a sleep paralysis episode, you come to consciousness while still being in the ‘REM’ stage of sleep, causing hallucinations within the dream turned nightmare. Often people experience visions of dark creatures such as the one opening the door on the tongue. The work illustrates the beginning of an episode, the darkness spilling out, disturbing the peace.
Darcie Garland
“Bachman’s Warbler”
The work I have created focuses on the extinction of the Bachman’s Warbler bird. I have tried to communicate to the audience the beauty of this species and the threat of their extinction. I have used a combination of gouache, water colour and acrylic paint in this mixed media work. The highly-patterned style highlights their distinctive identities and allows you to visualise their beauty in nature. My goal was to leave the audience with an appreciation of these beautiful birds and an insight into their fragile existence.
Aliah Whitesides
“Middle Creek”
This is my response to the environment that surrounds me. I live in Northern New South Wales surrounded by vast farmlands, coastal rainforests and beaches. I’ve tried to reflect a sense of place by exploring the textures, shapes, colour and native flora and fauna of the location. Textural mediums such as impasto and fabrics have been used in conjunction with collage where maps of the region have been used. The muted greens and hazy blues of the Mount Warning area have influenced me as it is something that I’m surrounded by on my travels to and from school every day and therefore these colours have been echoed throughout my piece, ‘Middle Creek’.
Emily Follett
Padre’s Story
This artwork is an exploration of religious ritual in places of war and conflict. It is my interpretation of a story told by our Parish Priest the Padre about soldiers he had baptised in the midst of war by using his helmet. The hands holding the upside-down helmet are the hands of an army chaplain with rosary beads around his wrist and crosses on the collar on his uniform. Religion and conflict are connected in many ways; not only can religion can start conflict, but religion can also bring a sense of faith and hope to people amidst war. This artwork is a contrast of a Christian ritual of welcoming and ‘rebirth’ in a place of violence and death.
Josefina San Martin
Mentiri. Vera. Tempus
In our world it’s becoming difficult to define the differences between vice and virtue. This video represents the truths and the lies that inhabit an individual, often leading them to be confused between their ability to do good or bad. I have used white to represent truth and black lies. I wanted to show how we keep our truths hidden often lying to cover them up. I wanted to show how these two vital elements of human behaviour exist deep within each and every one of us. The Latin words mean: Lie. Truth. Time.
Joseph Horsfield
Connection – Self Protrait
Digital Media and pencil on paper
My world is a peculiar one. Throughout my life, long standing questions have haunted my very existence:
What makes me, me? Who am I? Why do I think this or that? What do I truly enjoy? Unfortunately, these questions may not have simple answers, however, a thoughtful and considerate peek into my world can make these questions a little less puzzling for both myself, and anyone who attempts to understand me.
My world is most easily represented by my common interests, which most notably include, video games such as Pokémon and Fire Emblem, to anime and manga, like Gurren-Lagann and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and their distinctive flavours and styles, which can be found in various forms of merchandise around my room. Whilst from an outsiders perspective, these interests might seem shallow, and too lacking in meaning to have a lasting impact upon who I am, to me, someone who, whilst growing up and to this day, holds them as my first outlet for expression and making connections, their meaning evolves, rapidly growing beyond just a form of media; they become a social point, they become an escape, they become a story to tell, they become morals to uphold, they show me ideologies so outlandishly virtuous, that I can’t help but admire the characters and worlds built up within them. Each work features a zipper. The original idea coming from the spring-board to this body of work, my Banette, who’s mouth ‘is a zip’. It is symbolically significant to my works in several ways; it represents how each interest of mine is zipped together to create my world as a whole; it shows that those who care, can unzip my exterior to discover what lies beneath and it shows that sometimes I zip up my thoughts and feelings in order to fit into the world.
These all come together in my final ‘self-portrait’.
Brianna Tolmie
The Healing of Mental Illness
Mixed Media
My body of work ‘The Healing of Mental Illness’ focuses on the various stages of mental illness. Specifically how mental illness affects a person’s relationships with friends and family.
I have represented this theme through the elements of colour, line and texture. The palette chosen features blue, purple, pink, orange and green to symbolise different stages of healing; blue is symbolic of depression; pink for healing, and green for health. Black and white are also used to highlight the swings from one extreme to another that are present in these states of mind.
The bases of my works are encaustic abstracts with colours, textures and layers running into each other, reflecting the layered issues associated with these complex states. Black ink separates the other colours on the bases which represents how easily people can cut themselves off from those who care about them. Wax was applied on top and etched into to create distinct lines: some are abstract and randomised, while others follow the lines created by the colours of the bases. Acrylic paint was rubbed into the etched lines to make them stand out against the bases, generally in black or white to again show the high and low points of mental illnesses, and how nothing about them is clear. The wax was also used to define spaces between different colours by piling it higher in places to create ridges and carving it back in others, which represents the isolation of individuals affected by these illnesses.
Aurora Hsu
The Perfect Couple
Clay
The ‘Perfect Couple’ is a sculpture designed to symbolize everlasting love and unity between two people in marriage. In Chinese culture, the dragon is traditionally a symbol of the embodiment of the male (Yang) and the Phoenix represents the female (Yin).
The celestial couple is the symbol of everlasting love forming the ultimate symbol of marital happiness. The artwork has been designed to be given as a gift to ensure newlywed couples are blessed with spiritual and emotional happiness, combined with great fortune and prosperity in life.
Zyanne Moir
‘Media Disorder’
Acrylic paint on bathroom scales
Media Disorder, was created to raise awareness of social media and its effects on eating disorders due to social standards of the “ideal body”. Eating disorders affect approximately 7 million individuals ranging from children as young as five. My work has incorporated symbolism which is found through the use of glass scales as the median. This shows that those suffering from an eating disorder are trapped by the number on the scale. Another piece of symbolism in my work is the colour purple. Purple is used for eating disorder awareness, which is exactly was my artwork is trying to depict.
Phoebe Burchell
‘View’, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
‘View’ on situations positive or negative can influence the severity on how good or bad something is. Mindset is the most powerful influence on circumstances in life because as people, we have control over it. My artwork is about how having a positive view on negative situations will make the issue easier to cope with and may even turn the situation around to make it a positive one. Mindset is a part of the human condition as it is a Psychological state that affects the way we think and function. Negative thinking is unfortunately an easy habit to fall into.
Natasha Alvrez
Timeless Change
Acrylic Paint on a Canvas
Life, death and growth are all interconnected and are some of the key components to humanity and nature. Throughout society, people are taught to fear their mortality and be wary of the inevitable. Despite this common societal view, mortality salience and being aware of death is said to be beneficial to individuals and connects people with their own humanity. This artwork radiates this sense of mortality and displays the concept of aging and growth. This artwork shows that death should not be feared; instead it should be acknowledged to allow a greater appreciation of what life truly has to offer.
Blossom Smith
‘The Magical Journey’
Paper and glue
The magical journey is a sculptural representation of Harry Potter’s journey through Hogwarts in the book being bought to life. The altered book has been created using only paper and glue. It displays little aspects of the Harry Potter books that will trigger the audience’s imagination and take them into the world of Harry Potter…….
Blossom Smith
‘Imagination Unleashed’
Mixed Media
This display is only 3 pieces of a much larger body of work which responds to the concept of the existence. The artwork is a display of multiple strange yet wonderful beasts escaping from a case they have been trapped in. This scene is resembling the existence of imagination and how amazing it can be if unleashed. The inspiration for this piece came from todays worlds lack of imagination because we feel the need to restrain ourselves, whereas if we where to embrace the power of imagination we could create such an interesting and unique environment regardless of the age of the person. This concept of unacceptance towards the unknown and different is relevant to the plot of JK. Rawlings ‘Fantastic Beast’ movie, as the wizarding world see the beasts created in this artwork as a treat to them because they are different.
Grace Ralph
‘Depths of Our Identity’
Acrylic Paint
The artwork responds to the concept of existence with a focus on self-identity. The “Depths of Our Identity’ shows a visual representation of finding your identity through the use of colour and pattern. The key symbols within the work included marbled water showing travelling upstream and downstream, red for strength and bravery and black showing overcoming obstacles. We all travel through mucky water when creating the depth of our identity.
Dallas Smart
Deaths Scene
Digital
Deaths Scene is a reverse take on the pessimistic side of Vanitas artworks, formatted for a more optimistic message. One can view this artwork as one which reflects on the eventuality of death, yet its presentation in a comic panels allows one to identify that idea is merely fictional and something one can choose to ponder.
Presented is two pages of what appears as something out of a comic book, displaying the skeletal hand of death attempting to clutch chatter teeth with an egg inside ready to be chomped. The teeth chattering is used as a symbolic representation of the end, as Death arrives at a person’s bedside. Viewing it within its own reality, the foreboding tone of our eventual demise is purposefully washed away with the stylistic cartoonish aesthetic and the fact that this takes place in a comic story.
This artwork is intended to present a grim thought in an unnatural setting. Transforming Vanitas’ ideas on how our lives won’t matter when we’re gone, to something to not take too seriously. As the message here is to spend our time more wisely, as the quick frantic nature of chattering teeth obliterating an egg (that represents our life) is something that can occur at any time.
Francesca Torres
Dwell, 2018
Mixed media installation
Exploring the links between life and death is like the moon and the sun; they complement and need each other to function, otherwise, they would cease to exist. ‘Dwell’ uses flowers dead and alive, confined and unconfined, to demonstrate the union between the beginning and the end of our existence. The use of a cage-like dome to house the flowers to reflect the confinement of our souls to life and the preservation of it in an attempt to live on is aided by the attributes of flowers to emphasize theme of the transience of life.
In my installation, the viewer has the chance to “dwell” on the entirety of the work due to its vast array of images within the space. The scattered flowers symbolise a distraction for the viewer, before finally settling on the framed works. This is to demonstrate the fact that we are all attracted to the beautiful and appealing before resting our eyes onto the ugly and displeasing. Along with this, the flowers act as a diversion to the looming and constant threat we have in our lives; Death.
Paij Preston-Duke
Rotting Beauty
Sculpture
Vanitas paintings and sculptures contain collections of objects symbolic of the inevitability of death, the transience and vanity of earthly achievements and pleasures. ‘Rotting Beauty’ represents the vanitas in life by focusing on ageing and decaying as skin is an out layer of the body that slowly starts to become thinner as you age. The 100 skins featured in my artwork exhibit wrinkles to represent the process of ageing. Shellac is used starting from the bottom of the dress rising upwards to signify the rotting process on the inside when people begin to age. In my work I have provided the viewer with skin which can look perfect on the outside however underneath rotting is taking place inside, which eventually can no longer be hidden. In viewing my work I would like the viewer to understand that skin is a mask that hides the vanitas in someone.
Mi-Jung Kim
Assimilation But Not in This Nation
Photographs and collage
‘Assimilation But Not in This Nation’ is a statement piece revolving around the concept of substance and perception, with a particular focus on the contextual shift of anti-immigration statements made by Australian politicians. By shifting their perceptively self-righteous and factual racist remarks into a more domestic and realistic context, their words are provided with new perspective. This ultimately leaves room for the viewer to have their previous misconceptions and beliefs altered – yet not in the way that is expected.
Winnie Chen
Me two
Digital painting
Hi, I’m a teenager with insecurities and an identity crisis. I’ve lived half my life in China and the other in Australia, a part of me feels like I’m the foreigner. In Australia, I’m an Asian kid with questionable English. In China, I’m the weird kid from overseas who’s not good at Chinese. Then my insecurities kicked in. Me, the Asian that didn’t care about appearances because my priorities involved reading books and playing way too much video games, was stuck in an everlasting doom of below-averageness, neither smart nor pretty. So I placed all my troubles into my piece.
Candice Taylor
Pastel Effect
Drawing and watercolour painting
Why is it that pastel colours represent happiness and perfection so often in everyday life? Perfectly scribed birthday cards with pastel calligraphy portray flawlessness. I call this the ‘Pastel Effect’. Many individuals label their identity through the ‘Pastel Effect’. Showing only the flawless, positive sides to themselves. Discarding your flaws creates a façade that only you know is fictional. My self-portraits demonstrate how I am not ashamed of my identity. That the ‘Pastel Effect’ does not deceive me, as I am willing to display the good and bad sides to my identity.
David Nicolau
I am?
Oil and acrylic on ply board
'I am?' revolves around the concept of individualism within adolescence. It is here, where most feel the desire to become somebody that is not a true representation of themselves in order to be accepted. Here, the 'death' of individualism is embodied by the raven, symbolising death; which when contextualised within the piece, represents the subsequent loss of identity under the influence of constrictive societal norms.
Aimée Mulvihill
Concealed to Appeal
Paper-cut scanned pencil drawings.
In today’s society, women have the freedom of looking however they desire. They are not bound down by harsh expectations or pressured to fit into men’s mold of the ideal female. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case. Traditionally, women all around the world were forced to conform to the beauty ideals of their country, as if they did not, they would be considered unattractive and invisible to men. In their efforts of appealing to men, they were required to conceal the unfavorable characteristics.
Mackenzie Oswald
"Window"
Graphite and watercolour on paper
They say, the eyes are the window to the soul… revealing one’s deepest thoughts, fears and desires. The female depicted in the artwork appears detached; tears streaming down her face, pale tired skin, and an ominous figure reflected in her eyes. ‘Title’ explores the notion of abuse through the eyes of the victim. Often, we can communicate through a simple look, without the use of words. Perhaps we need to take the time to stop and ‘see’ each other to truly understand a person’s suffering.
Rickie-Lee Micallef
"Internalise"
Yarn and recycled fabrics
‘Internalise’ explores the complex and highly controversial nature of abortion within Chinese culture. Chinese politics and sociocultural ideologies significantly influence an individual’s right to make their own decision. The knitted sculpture, which mimics human organs, is a technique my own mother taught me. The dominant use of red references both blood and power within Chinese culture. The structure resembles both a stack of wedding rings and a classic children’s toy; symbolic of both unity and the infinite love between a mother and child.
Lyle Duncan
Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni
Acrylic on Board
The fight may be close to ending for us, however it hasn’t even begun for countless others. I fear that these people will be completely forgotten about. We have what we need, but what about those who aren’t even allowed to live. Blissful ignorance from the advantaged will be the ultimate downfall in progressing the fight for this voiceless mass.
Matt Surman
Those who made me
Pencil Drawings
This is a collection of my mentors and idols expressed as stippled portraits. Each one of these ten individuals have had an effect on my life. Whether it be my appearance, style or personality these men and women have helped shape me into the person I am. I am an amalgamation of my heroes, modelling myself after them in different ways. My mentors range from writers such as Charles Bukowski to musicians including; Debbie Harry, Bowie, Lemmy, Darby Crash, Lux Interior, Nick Cave and Henry Rollins. Actors Kiefer Sutherland and James Dean have affected me through the characters they portray.
Lucy Turnbull
Untitled (Self-Portrait After Del)
Acrylic on Paper
A self-portrait that stems from the whimsical and psychedelic art of Del Kathryn Barton, this piece involves vibrant watercolour combined with fine ink pen. Inspired by Barton’s imaginative, intricately decorated, and highly detailed work, this creation aims to compliment and express admiration for the artist’s mastery. The work provoked introspection and inspired a desire to further explore self-portraiture in alternative mediums.
Malika Savory
Phenomenal Women
Oil on Canvas
Maya Angelou embodies powerful writing and poetry. She uses her gift to influence, connect and change people of the world; showing sides of herself that require vulnerability. She takes a risk each time she shares her creative expression with the world, thus vulnerability becomes power. Power is not always gained by force.
Jacinda Mulholland
Puzzled
Photomontage
As teenagers, we are still finding ourselves. We are fractured, experimenting, to find out who we truly are. During this period, we must find ourselves, choose our future and become adults. We need more life experience to develop our true self- adolescence alone can not do that.
Jessie Engleby
You are not designed for everyone to like you
Digital Photography
Society has morphed young minds. One must not express their own feelings and decisions in fear of being classified as “different”. Social media shapes our perspective and manipulates us as people. People on social media don’t usually share raw moments where their life isn’t “perfect”, leading us mere mortals to think those we follow on social media are ”perfect” and never have a bad moment. Nobody is perfect, everyone is different. We fear that society isn’t going to accept us for who we are. The thoughts of others are a constant presence- so we put on the mask.
Angeline Holley
Oil painting inside washing machine front
Using the appropriation of Alexandre Cabanel’s Ophelia, as a post-modernist device, I have juxtaposed a classic Renaissance theme with a contemporary motif, the washing machine to suggest that although society has advanced, the same feminine stereotypes prevail. The piece is centred on Ophelia, whose descent into madness and despair has remained an archetypal illustration of Romantic suicide for centuries; woman as fragile, nurturing, martyr. The oppressive forces in Ophelia’s life are all male, and she has therefore become a renowned symbol of degraded femininity and vindicated chastity. A women’s role in the early modern period was domestication in the patriarchal household, and mostly unpaid household work with an emphasis on mothering and psychological internalization of this role.
Drawing on the influence of Jay Younger to make a comment on this continuing socio-cultural concern today, I have chosen to portray the repetitive cycle of female suppression that has existed for centuries.
Lily Baker
Luminated Landscapes
Long exposure photography
Working with the focus of ‘what’s real’ in the context of historical and contemporary photography, I’ve played with the idea of making the ordinary extraordinary as only the photograph can. Photographing at night, using the circle as a motif, I’ve suggested cycles, rituals and timelessness in archetypal representations that reference Matisse’s Dance Macabre. The work was initially influenced by the light painting techniques of Marian Drew in her series Luminated Landscapes (2006- 2008).
Ella Park
Habitus
Medium: graphite, watercolour with digital photographic grid
Habitus focuses on what should be the harmony between humans and Nature, evoking a sense of the numinous that is inspired by a thoughtful consideration of this ideal. The diptych unashamedly endeavors to seduce the viewer through its aesthetic qualities long enough to ask the question ... how do I feel about this? Is this morbid or the core of our humanity? The heart-vessel suggests veins and roots, a symbiosis of lifeforms. Ribs protect vulnerable parts from which flowers of an emergent self, bloom. To take care of nature means caring for yourself, nurturing both place and body.
Savannah Merrick
Alchemy; the reconciling third
Digitally manipulated drawings and paintings
Alchemy suggests the reconciling of binary opposites where a synthesis of male and female was made possible by layering drawings and paintings in Photoshop. The work is intentionally full of tension, as the viewer is pulled from one artist to the other, is one over or beneath the other? I was hoping the illusion might reveal the contradictions around how female artists are regarded, promoted and revered unequal to their male counterparts. The black and white drawings of the men are depicted as abstracted Forms of themselves even caricatures, while the women, are perhaps more ‘real’.
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