Year 12- 2015
The artworks this year lead us on a journey into other times and cultures and how these have been impacted by our own, there are first world problems, and reflections on issues such as violence, depression and grief and loss. Environmental concerns are raised, we think about the things that are drowning us, things that make us itch, the influence of the media, growing up, memories, music, and the places we dream of. As ever, personal experiences and relationships feature strongly- tributes to those we love, those who we surround ourselves with, those who influence us, and those with whom we have more complicated relationships.
Up Close and Personal
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SICK AS A DOG- Painting Caitlyn Amor The onset of depression can be ghostly and nebulous. This undefined stage is often pursued by a violent and destructive battle to suppress it. As the severity of depression elevates, so do the layers of painting, charcoal, ink and gel medium in Sick as a Dog. As the layers of progressive worsening of mindset accumulate, they become the archetypal symbol of hope that is gradually lost, the paralysis of the mind and the eventual inability to construct or envision a future. Winston Churchill, forefather of the 'Black Dog' metaphor, always avoided standing too close to the edge of a train platform because a second's action would end everything. The Black Dog Ride has grown in significance in my family just as my father's patronage and voluntary efforts have for this very important cause. |
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NOT WAVING...DROWNING- Ceramics
Jordan Amos Every person has a problem and a choice. A problem that confronts and conflicts your everyday and the choice of whether you let it control and consume you. The intention of my artwork is to address the impact that your problem can have on your well-being and the idea that if ignored, your problem will eventually drown you. I sought inspiration from Stevie Smith's poem, 'Not Waving, But Drowning'; the recount of a dead man's cry that he was further out than anyone else and he was not waving at them, but instead drowning. |
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A FORTRESS OF LESSONS PAST- Painting
Hunter Barnes My painting pays tribute to my grandfather who has been a significant figure in my life. He came from a mother who gave him the world, his values, his respect and his dedication to his family. He knew the other side also, to not be fast enough, brave enough, good enough, but it unfortunately came in the form of his father. His eyes held many things his past, his present and his future. They held his sorrow, his pain, but they also held his love, his compassion and his determination. His lessons were built on love, always showing strength always giving confidence. The flower grew in the rain after all, not the thunder, and his family filled his heart. The window to the soul they say is in a person's eyes. When I look at my grandfather I see a soul that has defined every inch of my life. With him and my grandmother, through my mother, my brothers sister and I have built a fortress made from the past he endured and the lessons he taught. |
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VIRTUALLY HARMLESS- Drawing
Roland Beatty Violence has always existed, however a modern phenomenon of entertainment has been held accountable for society's flaws in recent times. For millennia humans and animals have fought and killed yet video games, a medium of entertainment first introduced less than 50 years ago, is allegedly accountable for violence and aggression in the modern world. The series entitled Virtually Harmless depicts a selection of the most violent and destructive periods in human history, events which occurred long before the invention- even the intellectual conception of the video game. Through illustrating the bereavements of a time without virtual media my artwork aims to challenge society's growing assumption in regards to the cause of aggression through stating that violence is evidently an instinctive aspect of life. |
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LIFE IN THE AGE OF MECHANICAL REPRODUCTION- Drawing
Erinn Boyle The rapidly growing technological advancements within today's society have led to the preservation of numerous memories. German critic, Walter Benjamin, examines the reproducibility of a work of art in his essay titled The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Benjamin believes that a painting allows contemplation from the viewer; however, a movie screen has already changed once the eye has grasped the image. This is a reflection of the process I undertook in creating my sourced images, as I took photographs on my iPhone of the images projected from a running Hanimex Projector. The films were created in the late 1970's and featured my uncle as a child. I then 'reproduced' the photographs, depicting them in a 'hazed' manner to suggest that I have preserved memories through a single photograph that otherwise would have remained a distant memory. Benjamin also focuses on the power of the original photograph being destroyed through the increased ability to 'reproduce' images. Consequently, the notion that memories and life itself become less memorable due to mechanical reproduction is reflected in my artwork through the bad quality images taken on my iPhone, which diminishes the treasured family memento. |
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END OF SEASON- Painting
Rachel Brophy A Fashion Trend is defined as any form of behavior that develops among a large population and is collectively followed with enthusiasm for some period. With every new year, comes new fashion. As each year goes by fashion trends and a person's clothing choices are influenced by something or someone else. To wear a piece of clothing from another season is looked down upon in the world of fashion. Memento Mori is a reminder of death and the brevity of life. The skulls represent the idea of the temporary nature of fashion and the death of trends. They are markers of time, displaying fashion prints of the past decades, through the 50's, 70's and 90's. We can also see the cyclical nature of fashion in the designs. Clothing has become consumable and disposable. People choose to purchase new clothes and neglect/disregard the things they bought in the previous month, hence, the End of Season. |
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LORD OF THE LIES- Drawing
Rebecca Cameron Lord of the Lies is a play on the title of the novel, Lord of the Flies. This book is about human nature and the descent into savagery. I thought that by making reference to this title, my drawings, dressed to resemble tabloid media, could dramatically suggest the impact of the media on our society and the way we view the world. The headline of each "magazine" or "paper" is the latest celebrity gossip. Tiny and insignificant is a more important story. We find the details of the lies of celebrities far easier to digest than the reality of our world and the news has become entertainment, driven by the audience and not by truth and events. |
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72 HOURS- Drawing
Maddie Connell The inspiration for my work came from my brother Jackson who is no longer here with us today. I photographed my parents at the beginning of the year and drew them, then I engraved perspex with personal messages and quotes to place over the top. By doing this I hoped to capture the pain my parents still have today after losing their first child but also the strength they have gained after losing him. '72 Hours' refers to the time my parents got to spend with my big brother. Jackson is a big part of both their lives and has become a part of our lives too. We will forever cherish and celebrate the life of Jackson in our home, near of far he is forever in our hearts. My parents are my true heroes. |
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TUNOG NG BUHAY (SOUND OF LIFE)- Drawing
David de Vera Hans Christian Andersen once said, "Where words fail, music speaks". Through the art of music humanity can not only communicate, but connect, share and evoke inner emotion. Like in the visual arts, music also has a profound power to connect our emotions, our energy and ultimately our souls. \The piano is my voice which I use to communicate where words fail and my artwork aims to communicate not only the beauty of the piano as an instrument but also express the contrasting depths of sound that are brought to life through the art of music. |
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OVERPASS, QUARTER PIPE, THE BOWL- Drawing
Doug Doyle Skating is crucial for my expression; it's a form of art, something that has moulded my life. My work focuses on the environment, the freedom it presents, much like skating. Everything is an obstacle; every landscape is something that can be overcome. The obstacles presented by the world are all landscapes that can be figuratively ridden. My drawing showcases environments such as a forest, the ocean and rock formations. These are symbolic of the environments that can be skated such as a bowl, quarter-pipe and an overpass. As a skater I need to skate every obstacle and view everything differently in everyday life. There are strong connections between art and skating, skating and nature and nature and art. The three things intertwine; none of them conform to any of society's expectations. |
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COMING INTO FOCUS- Collection of Works
Zac Eggleton As I near the end of the HSC, I feel like my hopes and intentions for my adult life are starting to come into focus. I have a plan for my life, and extravagant and perfect tale of events with a constant stream of adventure, opulence and love. Using contemporary spray paint stencils and designs I developed from city maps, I explored the intricate and beautiful DNA of San Francisco, Surry Hills and Paris. These cities represent where I have been, where I am going and where I would like to go. This planned out life must be perfect, but things are still developing, it's hazy around the edges. Influence: Keith Haring, Lu Xinjian |
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MY TROPHY/ENVY- Collection of Works
Molly Ferguson Envy is part of the human condition. It is uncontrollable and unpredictable; we feel it about individuals close to us and about strangers. In my case, I have grown up in my sister's shadow. I have been surrounded by her triumph, her radiance, her trophies and achievements all my life. I have always adored her- however; envy has constantly been a consuming factor. She is the golden child. We often assume envy to be a negative emotion and to many it is; this artwork portrays the bitter sweetness of my admiration for my sister. Neglected and overshadowed by her success I have a trophy envy. Through the process of making this artwork, however, I am starting to develop my own trophies and successes. |
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LOOK FOR THE GIRL WITH THE SUN IN HER EYES AND SHE'S GONE- Collection of Works
Ally Gallagher Everyone has their own method of escaping from the realities they face. For me, it has always been music. My artwork explores the effect music has on individuals and the way it can transport them into another world where they forget their troubles, their anxieties and the negativity they face in the real world. The title is taken from the Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds I feel it captures the idea of getting lost in a more beautiful and magical place. The images in the painting were also influenced by the art associated with the Beatles as they are my greatest influence and escape. |
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WARNING, CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS- Drawing
Mollie-Anne Gersbach At a time of rapid growth, psychological development, and emotional turbulence, an individual can be susceptible to unexplainable changes in mood, as well as future and current desires. Adolescence is encapsulated by personal changes and experiences that may vary slightly and entirely to direct the individual to a path of life that is their own. These changes often do not stop once a person has reached legal adulthood and therefore individuals continue to grow and create themselves in different ways to suit their personal environments. Likewise, the process of growth in itself does not ever cease and an individual will always change covertly as a result of personal situations, however, as an adolescent the broader spectrum of people tend to steer clear of them, for their personal safety in the unpredictability of an adolescent's personal construction site. |
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JAPONISEME/ "GOODBYE DEAR JAPAN"- Collection of Works
Ali Gilbert The term Japoniseme was first used in the late 1800s to describe the influence of Japanese culture upon Western art. As modern Japanese culture faces youth revolt from a generation deeply influenced by Western culture, the integral epoch of Japanese tradition inevitably drowns within a contemporary society riddled with technology, trend and crowd mentality. Japanese society faces an ironic movement, a movement from a unique culture with thousands of years of tradition to one with emphasis upon the adoption of popular culture. As not only the Japanese, but a global cultural decline becomes apparent, the impressionable power of popular culture connects to the realisation of potential global neutrality, conjuring a nostalgic memory of slowly dwindling native and traditional culture to the hands of globalisation. And, sadly, this truth is sparsely recognised within a naive society guilty of feeding the tidal wave that drowns their heritage. To represent these ideas I have drawn an image of a tiger, thrashing in water, unable to swim, and an image of an expressionless mask from the Japanese theatre tradition of Noh. Noh masks have a neutral face, but this can be changed by the posture of the actor and the position of the lighting. |
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GILPIN TIME- Sculpture
Thomas Gilpin There's unity within decadence. Christmas, where the best food is bought and a household gathers around a tree to give each other the most expensive gifts, holds much significance for families. This work is an odd representation of my family dinner table during Christmas, inspired by a similarly titled sculpture by Ricky Swallow, Killing Time. Each plate, fork, knife, animal, and even tablecloth and baubles are all made from paper, to signify the fragility of the time a family spends together, especially for those larger clans. Folding paper is an exercise in killing time, as much time is spent creating each and every piece of the work, but is usually something done when there is time to "kill". Each person at the table is an animal- a beast, and similarly so within the holiday itself. We're all cut from different cloths, and not many would expect such an odd group to get together annually, but when there's decadence involved, these differences are shifted aside for just a few days a year. This time is precious and slips away so quickly. |
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WE CAN BE HEROES, JUST FOR ONE DAY- Drawing
Anna Guan Professional sportspeople in today's society are forced to act with particular caution as a result of the media and its every growing observant eye. The subjects presented are all previous or current National Rugby League players, who evidently have had negative encounters with the media. The constant surveillance on these professional sportspeople, coupled with their actions, have brought about life altering impacts, some have lost careers, others have lost truth or left broken friendships. This series of drawings also questions our relationships, as a nation, with our sporting heroes. What defines a hero in Australia, how are they created and for what reason are they torn down? |
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LOVE FACE- Photomedia
Ruby Haycock I wanted to capture the love I see in people and expand it through my photography. The simple and real love that is present in all people around me, you can see it in their eyes, their smile and the way they position themselves in the photograph. Some are shy and some are happier when others are around but never the less, it's love. Love Face is about those faces you see at the end of the day who make all the small worries disappear. Inspired by Vince Fantauzzo's artwork of the same title. |
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IN TRANSITORY STATE- Collection of Works
Laura Hollingworth I wanted to generate a complex visual lens into the transitory state of life. When I think of this transitory state I think of it as described by the poet Herman Hesse: It was as if all the happiness, all of the magic of this blissful hour had flowed together into these stirring, bittersweet tones and flowed away, becoming temporal and transitory once more. I sought to visualize this idea by using contemporary abstract methods and photomedia, creating a glimpse of my life in a transitory state, not real but not unreal, just visible enough to been seen and interpreted. My collection of works are the manifestation of life as not wholly fugitive or immutable but a composite of both. |
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PAXIL, ZOLOFT, OLANZAPIN- Painting
Courtney Hood Everyone's brain works differently. But mental illness is not well understood, even though it is so prevalent in our society. People who live with mental illness often feel ridiculed and stereotyped by symptoms. I have tried to represent what it is like to have a mental illness. The feeling of splitting apart, trying to scream for help only to have more pills shoved in your face. The feeling of becoming so sad, you stay quiet and act like nothing is happening. |
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ATOPIC DERMATITIS (STOP SCRATCHING HOLLY!)- Drawing
Holly Jameson Atopic Dermatitis, more commonly known as Eczema, is a chronic skin condition that results in red, itchy patches of skin that become inflamed and often blister or bleed. The disease is most prevalent in infant and childhood years, with many of its sufferers growing out of it by the age of ten. I am seventeen-years-old, and rather than growing out of the Eczema that I started to develop with I was a few days old, my Eczema has worsened throughout my teenage years. \ I have been asked many times throughout my life "What's wrong with your face?" and it is awfully degrading and exhausting. It makes me feel extremely alienated and self-conscious about what I look like. During Year 12 especially, the Eczema on my body has flared up due to the stress and pressure that I constantly place on myself to do well. The itching is like thousands of bugs crawling under your skin, out of reach and unrelenting. I think about how bad my skin looks on a daily basis and me worrying about it only causes more stress which makes the Eczema worse; it is a continuous, incredibly irritating cycle which I cannot control. |
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HEIRESSES OF REALITY- Drawing
Sabine O'Connor-Lowe A little girl reads a fairy tale and falls in love with the idea of the happily ever after, the endless possibilities, the magic and the easily identifiable villain. But as the little girl grows she realises that the good and the bad is not as easy to spot and she once thought, and it is then that the weight of responsibility starts to settle in, weighing down the mind of the little girl. As the girl matures the shadows of adulthood and reality start to creep in, obscuring the magic that was previously envisioned as a child. The happily ever after may come, although not as it was originally imagined, not delivered to her on a white horse and certainly not as a definite or clear-cut as it was once believed to be. |
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APOCALYPSE (Pestilence, Pollution, Famine)- Painting
Asa Shepherd The end is now. The world is slowly dying. God didn't do it. We did. The end has been brought upon us by our own doing; pestilence, famine and pollution. The human condition is killing us all, destroying all we have built. We must realize this before it is too late. For we are the horsemen of death. |
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EMERGENCE- Collection of Works
Georgia Singh "I used to think I knew how some caterpillars became butterflies. I assumed they weave cocoons, then sit inside growing six long legs, four wings, and so on. I was wrong. In fact, the first thing caterpillars do in their cocoons is shed their skin, leaving a soft, rubbery chrysalis. If you were to look inside the cocoon early on, you;d find nothing but a puddle of glop. But that contains the DNA-coded instructions for turning bug soup into a delicate, winged creature- the angel of the dead caterpillar."- Krubler-Ross When told to consider my own "backyard" for inspiration, after various literal and metaphorical attempts, my eyes focused upon individuals within my life and I was overwhelmed to discover how many people around me were attempting to cope through personal grief. This inspired me to explore the five stages of grief- Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance- and consider how various individuals would respond within this transformative process and how they would come out the other side. Krubler-Ross, the inventor of the five stages, argued that death was a transition to a better stage, akin to breaking out of a cocoon. A significant individual of inspiration within my work was artist Ekaterina Panikanova. "I was struck by the difference between its original purpose and the way it became over time." My utilization of old and damaged books therefore provides them with a second life and a new purpose. They are transitioning and emerging just as a butterfly. My work illustrates the development of the psychological side of an individual when transforming through grief and the emergence of one's new self out the other side. |
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RE-COLLECTION- Painting
Georgia Stevens I initially drew inspiration from the Abstract Expressionists. These artists depicted through lines, colour and marks, emotions and experiences that had no image- feelings and emotions, rather than objects, people and places. Memories and recollections can be like this too, they can be more of a feeling than an image. An event can be remembered differently by different people, even through it seems like they shared the same experience. These paintings are about the subjective nature of memory and how I relate to specific past experiences of my own. These experiences have been once that have fired my soul, altered my mind and brightened my vision. These paintings alter the truth; by painting in an abstract manner I was able to give a glimpse of how I perceived situations, and sometimes how I have wanted to see them. They are imaginative rather than real. Occasionally, this is because I have loathed reality. The layers, mediums and abstractions of Jean Michel Basquiat and Anselm Kiefer have intrigued me in achieving the look and intention of my paintings. |
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"I'M FINE"- Drawing
Alannah Toshack First world problems: Problems arising from living in a wealthy, industrialized nation that third worlders would probably roll their eyes at.- Urban Dictionary We often over dramatize our individualized problems. We confuse want with need. We want and desire more, to be more and to have more. Once we acquire something new, we set our sights on the next thing, taking our minds away from the issues that really matter. When we look at these crying and screaming faces we don’t know if something serious has happened or if they are screaming at a boy band, crying over celebrity gossip, stuck in traffic or complaining when mum pulls out the “no technology afternoon”. We have lost our perspective towards real problems and real pain, dictated by trivial issues and minor outrages that become our priorities. |
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ROKKU ONGAKU ATARASHI DENTO- Printmaking
Alex Foy |
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BEAST OF BURDEN - Drawing
Mahalia Watmore |
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