Art Exhibit
Arts Exhibit – KSC Awards Evening
On Thursday the 8th December our college held our end of year awards evening where we were able to celebrate the achievements of our students and staff. This also allowed for our Arts Learning Area to exhibit student work across all year levels from our Visual Arts, Studio Arts and Visual Communication Design subjects. Our students should be very proud of the work they have created in 2022. Below are some short summaries and work from our Year 12 students and a glimpse of the exhibition at the awards evening from the other year levels.
Clayton Warren
Arts Learning Area Leader
Year 12 Studio Arts
Abbey Dernelly’s conceptual explorations involve a variety idea based on contemporary and traditional views of the ‘cycle of life’. Artists throughout history have used the symbolism of the ‘Vinita’s’ Era; 16th C Still life Paintings, as inspiration in various ways in their artworks. The ‘Vanita’s’ is a gentle reminder to all humanity of the meaning of life. A gentle reminder about the irrelevance of materials and our gluttony, because when we die, these possessions will not be with us.
A memento mori is an artwork designed to remind the viewer of their mortality and of the shortness and fragility of human life.
Vanitas are closely related to memento mori still life’s which are artworks that remind the viewer of the shortness and fragility of life (memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning ‘remember you must die’) and include symbols such as skulls and extinguished candles. However, vanitas still-life’s also include other symbols such as musical instruments, wine and books to remind us explicitly of the vanity (in the sense of worthlessness) of worldly pleasures and goods. Aside from traditional artistic influences, Abbey includes contemporary influences from artistic and personal interests in the form of photography. Inspired by contemporary photographers who exhibit a more beguiling aspect to life and death, Abbey also finds her inspiration in her own surrounding suburbs. Abbey has taken a series of photographs of the discarded houses, the ‘decaying matter’, remanences of the surrounding urban spawl. Her photomontages are made up of fragments of her many photographs. Her studio process involved experimenting with a number of concepts in particular portraying the sense that these abandoned vessels, were once inhabited.
Abbey’s final artwork #2, has traces of coffee stains, burnt edges, torn edges and her own shoe prints. She has carefully considered the ‘grunge’ aesthetic, fragmenting the subject matter to form a cohesive composition.
Caroline Sierra-Silvestre -
“There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about” - Helen Frankenthaler
Caroline’s folio explores her memorable relationship with her grandfather. She explores memories and memorabilia of connectedness in a physical and spiritual sense. Enlightened by her faith of Christianity, she shares a sacred connectedness, portraying the ethereal, the intangible, abstract concepts of spirituality.
Caroline was influenced by artist such a Mark Rothko and Helen Frankenthaler. In the physical sense, Caroline was inspired by photos of her grandfather’s house, composing
artworks of interior spaces inspired by the objects and settings within the room, catching a glimpse, an impression, just as the Impressionist would. Caroline explored the techniques of the Impressionist and applied these to her art works, referencing the ‘glimpse- of a moment in time’. Caroline experimented with oil pastels to mimic the brush marks of the Impressionists and used various surfaces such as vinyl lino symbolic of the 1970’s interior spaces and that in her grandfather’s house.
Rhys Lawler -
Rhys Lawler’s exploration dives deep into the depths of the thoughts, feelings and emotions of one’s own mental state, recently magnified by the series of turbulent lockdowns and
societal pressures. Inspired by Australian artist Mike Parr and Francis Bacon’s self-portraits, Rhys’ folio consists of a number of self-portrait studies akin to his influences. His series of works exude a dark aesthetic with stark black and white contrast, yet the scale and subject of these works suggest a fragility and intimacy, as we peer into the depths of one’s soul.
Year 12 Visual Communication Design
Yeganeh VALIOLAHPOR created an amazing SAT folio and final presentations that met the requirements of her brief that for her to solve two design problems. The first being branding design for a Melbourne-based restaurant; Golden Dream, that served middle eastern foods. The branding needed to include colour making the brand feel warm and welcoming. The second was a concept for the possible layout of the new restaurant building which was north facing and limited to 400m2 and display nature to make the environment peaceful. Here are her final presentations.
