Around the Senior School

Year 11 & 12 Visual Arts

Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts students recently visited the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. A very early start in the dark at PLC did nothing to quell the excitement and despite traffic delays the mood was buoyant on arrival at The Domain. 

The main purpose of the excursion was to see Art Express, the showcase of some of the best submissions from last year’s HSC Visual Arts Major Works. Always impressive, the show introduced the students to a wide range of forms and excellent examples of successful communication of a concept through refined, resolved work. For some this was daunting, but others found it inspiring. 

This was followed by a foray into the Grand Court of the gallery where the historical works are displayed. Splitting into groups led by Ms Wansey, Mrs Bilton and Mr Orme-Smith, they moved through the space, starting with the exquisitely realistic still lifes from 17th Century Holland, through religious works, history painting, allegories and landscapes. The way women have been portrayed in paintings over the centuries provided a focus for discussion, along with the changes in painting style over the past 500 years. 

Following a quick pizza in the park (delivered by a Dominoes bicycle and trailer) we entered the new section of the gallery, a truly world class exhibition space that has added significantly to the scope and profile. Interactive works saw students rolling balls of clay to add to a dynamic installation work, with a backdrop of the Garden Island naval base. A highlight was the new exhibition space dedicated to Indigenous Australian art, a tribute to the gallery that has created a fitting display facility for this important collection. 

Dazed by sensory overload, it was back on the bus for the drive home. It is so good to be able to be doing excursions again, and the feedback from students on this trip overwhelmingly supported its benefit through seeing art of such a high standard in the context of this impressive gallery.