Student Success

Jennifer Lewis - Year 11 - X6

City exhibition and Angelico

 

Year 11 Visual Art and Design student Jennifer Lewis has been looking into the past at great leaders of the world and drawing them on a large scale.

 

Jennifer entered her artwork If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When? into the META exhibition at North Metro TAFE. Of 167 entries from 54 schools, her graphite pencil drawing of US president John F Kennedy was accepted and is now on display in the city.

 

The META exhibition at Gallery Central, Aberdeen Street, features art, design and photography from the next generation – providing an insight into the hearts and minds, dreams and fears of current Year 11 and 12 students from WA schools.

 

Pictures: Craig Mecham
Pictures: Craig Mecham

“When asked to create a propaganda piece, I thought about the great leaders of the past that had a powerful impact on their people during difficult times,’’ Jennifer says. “Now, more than ever, powerful leaders such as John F. Kennedy are the type of leaders we need to see. The younger generation need to have the passion JFK had as we are the future generation- we are the change.’’

 

Jennifer also completed a similar work, True Education, depicting the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr, which has been entered in the upcoming Catholic Arts Angelico Exhibition.  

 

“I wanted this piece to reflect on current times with the Black Lives Matter movement,’’ Jennifer says. 

 

A student in Mr Mecham's Art and Design class, Jennifer created both works using Photoshop, then sketched out a layout of the portrait and measured out the letters, adding the final touches with graphite pencil.

 

"I’d hope through these artworks, people are able to understand how history begins to repeat itself,'' Jennifer says. "These great leaders of the past, advocated and fought for human rights, in order for the future generations to live a life with freedom. However, time and time again we see bits of history reoccur in our society- neglecting the compelling thoughts and actions from these leaders.’’

 

META exhibitions runs until August 22, Mon – Fri 10am-4.30pm; Sat 12 – 2.30pm at Gallery Central, Perth. Angelico is a virtual exhibition this year at www.catholicarts.wa.edu.au/angelico/

 

 

Mrs L Quartermain

 (Community Relations and Marketing Officer)