VISUAL ARTS 

We are thrilled to announce an incredible achievement by one of our talented HSC Visual Arts students, Luis Lemiri, who has truly stolen the show at this year’s ARTEXPRESS exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW). This extraordinary student has not only received recognition for his remarkable work but was also honoured with public acknowledgment during the opening exhibition by distinguished guests including Maud Page, Deputy Director and Director of Collections at the AGNSW, and Paul Martin, Chief Executive Officer of NESA.

Luis’s artwork, AK-M7, is a powerful and thought-provoking response to JR’s Portrait of a Generation. The piece represents the harsh realities of racial profiling and social judgment, shedding light on how young Sudanese men are often misunderstood, marginalized, and unfairly stereotyped as threats. In his own words:

"AK-M7 is my response to JR’s Portrait of a Generation, representing the harsh realities of racial profiling and social judgement. Young Sudanese men like me are often misunderstood, perceived as nuisances or dark destructive forces. My intentions in my body of work is to demand that the audience re-evaluate embedded bias. With reference to Sudan’s civil war, where children are forcibly recruited into rebel armies. AK-M7 exposes the stark contrast between how my friends and I are treated and how others are treated. Substituting video cameras for weaponry is, in truth, the perfect way to initiate conversation and enact change."

This poignant statement and Body of Work not only challenge stereotypes but also calls for deep reflection and change. The AK-M7 photographic work is on display at the AGNSW as part of the ARTEXPRESS exhibition 5 February – 27 April 2025 and serves as a bold conversation starter on the topics of racial bias, war and social justice.

We would also like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest thanks to our dedicated Visual Arts faculty, Jennie Cooper and Daniel Repeti, for their exceptional guidance, mentorship, and support in helping our students reach such remarkable heights. Their tireless commitment to fostering creativity and critical thinking plays a key role in the success of our Visual Arts program.

Luis’s achievement is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and resilience of our students, and we are incredibly proud of their contribution to the arts. We encourage all to visit AGNSW to experience this powerful Body of Work for themselves. Look out for a video on Luis’s artwork soon to be on the Wyndham College YouTube channel.

Congratulations once again to our outstanding students and thank you to everyone who continues to support Visual Arts opportunities at Wyndham College.