The Arts

Westwood|Kawakubo Exhibition

On Wednesday, 4 March 2026, members of the Art Academy attended an excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria to view the Westwood | Kawakubo exhibition.  The Art Academy is a group of students selected from across all year levels who share a strong interest in the visual arts.   During the visit, students explored the work and lives of Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo, two highly influential fashion designers who emerged in the 1970s and 1980s.

The exhibition allowed students to examine how Westwood and Kawakubo challenged traditional fashion conventions and instead followed their own paths of creative exploration and artistic expression. Their designs present alternative ways of thinking about clothing and the representation of the female body, often incorporating elements of political commentary and punk culture.

Many students commented on the originality and craftsmanship of the garments. Year 11 student Eliza Leech reflected on the continuing relevance of the designers’ work, noting the connections to contemporary culture and storytelling. “For example,” she explained, “one of the designs featured a black dress with a white collar, reminiscent of Wednesday from The Addams Family, while others appeared to draw inspiration from fairytales such as Little Red Riding Hood.”

Overall, students thoroughly enjoyed their first Art Academy activity for the year and left feeling inspired by the creativity and bold vision of these designers.  The experience has provided new ideas that students look forward to exploring in their own future artistic and design projects. 

Eliza Leech 11S & Angelina Zervoudakis 11B 

Art Academy Members

Celebrating Visual Arts Achievements

The Visual Arts Department is delighted to acknowledge several students who have recently achieved remarkable success, with their work selected for major exhibitions and recognised with prestigious awards.

One such opportunity is the Catholic Education Week Creative Arts Exhibition, held from Sunday, 15 March to Sunday, 22 March , which celebrates creativity across Catholic schools.  This exhibition highlights students’ artistic talents, encourages them to share their ideas and stories through art and connects their work to the theme of Catholic Education Week.  It provides a wonderful platform for young artists to contribute to the broader story of Catholic education while fostering pride and connection between schools.

Through painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, photography and film, students showcase their imagination and unique perspectives.  The exhibition also recognises the dedication of teachers and families who support and nurture these talents.

As each school may submit only five works, at the end of 2025, our Visual Arts teachers carefully selected five outstanding pieces from across the year levels and programs for submission: 

• Maisonya Nguyen – Year 8 Art - Pointillist painting:  A landscape reflecting a personal journey, with cliffs and shoreline symbolising moving forward in hope.

• Alex Beggs – Year 9 Textiles and Jewellery Design - Held Together: A garment exploring the idea of being “held together” through guidance and resilience.

Of the nine award categories presented at the exhibition, our students won three,  an outstanding achievement, taking out one third of all awards:

• Aia Vidal – Year 10 Video Art  - A Letter to My 10-Year-Old Self: Awarded the Photography and Media Arts Award, this video explores the bittersweet nature of nostalgia, capturing cherished memories while recognising that the past is behind us.

• Eliza Leech – Year 10 Painting - Life’s but a Walking Shadow: Awarded the National Gallery of Victoria Award for Creativity, this work reflects on an ever-changing world, using shadow imagery to suggest the presence of Christ connecting with the viewer.

• Natalie Tran – Year 11 Art and Creative Practice - Belonging in Bloom: Awarded the Australian Catholic University Portraiture Award, this photograph explores cultural identity and spirituality through traditional clothing and natural symbolism, reflecting how faith and heritage guide us on our journey.

While the Catholic Education Week exhibition celebrates creativity within our school community, it also lays the foundation for students to pursue their practice at the highest level.  At a state level, this journey continues through Top Arts 2026, which recognises outstanding student work from across Victoria, showcasing excellence in artistic thinking, skill, and innovation.

Selected from more than 1,100 applicants, the artists featured in Top Arts 2026 demonstrate sustained inquiry, technical mastery, and conceptual depth across diverse materials and processes.  Their work is presented under five key themes: Self as Story, Living Landscapes, Ways of Seeing, Everyday Moments, and Here, Now.  The exhibition is currently on display until 19 July 2026 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Federation Square.

We are especially proud of Keira Williams, a 2025 graduate, whose beautifully crafted crochet dress from the Year 12 Art Creative Practice course was selected for Top Arts 2026.

Keira’s artist statement reads: “Arboreal Reverie explores the theme of Mother Nature, particularly the tension between fragility and resilience in natural forms.  Through a crochet tonal palette of earthy pinks, I aimed to evoke growth and decay, while the layered floral motifs and cascading strands mirror the unpredictable rhythms of the natural ecosystem.”

Congratulations to all the students highlighted here, and to every Visual Arts student who continues to demonstrate creativity, dedication, passion and a commitment to Courage to Care in their work every day.

Ms Lorelle Evans

Visual Arts Learning Leader

Autumn Music Concert

The annual Autumn music concert on Thursday, 19 March was a great success, attended by a full to capacity crowd.  Audience members were entertained by music Ensemble items presented by Isabella Strings and AMICCI, as well as a variety of solo performances by our accomplished student musicians. 

From singing to saxophone, the acoustics in the Ursula Frayne Memorial Chapel made each performance a memorable and enjoyable experience.  This is the first of many free music events held at the College and we look forward to again welcoming all of the Academy community to attend the VCE Music Recital Evening and the Performing Arts Concert later this year.

Ms Mirelle Morris

Instrumental Music Coordinator