Arts

VCE Arts and Technology Showcase

This week, we celebrated the talent and hard work of our VCE students across various disciplines, including Art Making & Exhibiting, Product Design and Technologies, Visual Communication Design, Systems Engineering, and Media. The showcase event, attended by parents, students, friends, and notable guests, including accomplished adjudicators, highlighted their achievements.

The evening’s main attraction was the presentation of the SAT awards, which recognised students whose projects not only demonstrated exceptional skill but also aligned with the VCE assessment criteria. The judges, experts in their respective design fields, conducted thorough evaluations based on the guidelines set by the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority.

Neale Thompson, a master of fine furniture making with work featured in public exhibitions, had the honour of awarding the Product Design and Technology SAT prizeto Levi Fordham. He commended Levi’s exceptional craftsmanship, particularly the precision and finish of his table design.

In the Media category, the SAT award was presented by David Fairclough, a seasoned professional with over ten years of experience teaching VCE Media and trained in film and television. Jacob van Raaphorst took home the award for his outstanding animation “Ariception.” David praised Jacob’s film for its clear narrative, effective use of media technologies, and thoughtful stylistic choices, especially his creative use of non-diegetic text to convey the protagonist’s motivations.

In the Visual Communication and Design category, the SAT award was presented by Hisu Lee, an award-winning designer and experienced educator. Namtho Nawaphon earned the award for a logo and app designed for international travellers. Hisu commended Namtho’s bold approach, particularly in embracing the new Interactive Experiences component of the 2024 study design and skilfully applying Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception in a way that was both innovative and effective for the intended audience. Hisu was particularly impressed by the overall quality of the work, noting eight final presentations that she found highly engaging and worthy of an award. She specifically commended the work of Will Leonard and Angus Rothe.

For Systems Engineering, Juan Manrique Garcia received the top award, presented by Damon Minotti, Associate Director of Ballarat Tech School, and Aaron Coulter, Manager of Operations and Programs at the school. While both Juan’s Rubik’s Cube solver and Alex Griffith’s robotic arm stood out, it was Juan’s complex and meticulously designed Rubik’s Cube solver that ultimately won the judges over. Alex Griffith, however, did not leave empty-handed, as he took home the people’s choice award for his robotic arm, which proved a clear crowd favourite.

Elliot Tregonning, artist, designer, and experienced teacher of Art Making & Exhibiting, noted that although it is difficult to compare works across different methods and mediums, the application of materials and the response to intention can guide evaluations. Based on this, he believed Kieran Cullen’s work was the strongest response, allowing the materials to show “truth to form” by using the strengths of the methods to enhance the stated intention. Kieran’s work reflects both the segregation of communities through industrialization and enforced networking, while simultaneously showing the shared experiences of the various communities affected. The isolated areas connected through the wires also speak to the dichotomy of the need to stay connected and the consequences of the required infrastructure. The hard, almost jagged cutouts with black outlines reflect the brutal cutting through of land and property. This work is easy to engage with and evokes emotional and sentimental responses, capturing the historical, environmental, and community impacts of this development.

All the students who exhibited their work deserve praise for their exceptional efforts. The judges remarked on the difficulty of selecting the top folios, noting that many other submissions were of equally high calibre. The VCE Arts and Technology showcase was a fitting celebration of the dedication and creativity of our 2024 VCE Arts, Technology, and Media students.