The Arts
Year 9 Visual Art Excursion
Year 9 Visual Art students attended the National Gallery Victoria to view the engaging KAWS (a.k.a Brian Donnelly) exhibition, “Companionship in the Age of Loneliness”. The exhibition is full of humour, hope and humanity, celebrating KAWS' ability to connect with broad audiences. Universal feelings of isolation and loneliness through his works is the artist’s reaction to the turbulent world we live in today. Students were introduced to the ideas and inspiration behind the exhibition by the gallery’s education staff with an aim to develop inquiry, analysis and communication skills. After lunch, Students took part guided tour across the gallery’s permanent collection, expanding art and antiquities from ancient civilizations to the current day, across all corners of the globe. Students found the excursion both fun and interesting.
Top Arts 2020
We wish to congratulate Zacharias Smyrnis for being shortlisted in the 2020 Top Arts exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. This is a significant achievement for Zacharias and our School. On average, only 100 or so students across Victoria are shortlisted from a near 2000 applications.
To be shortlisted, a student must:
- achieve an A or A+ for both their final artworks and folio (visual diary)
- fulfill assessment criteria for VCE Studio Arts or Art
- demonstrate strong conceptual development
- display imaginative and individual qualities
- demonstrate technical excellence
- demonstrate an awareness of aesthetic considerations
- demonstrate an awareness of past and contemporary art practices
Zacharias’ Artist Statement
This is a series of politically and socially charged comic book covers relevant to our times, that cross themes of gender equality, LGBTQI rights, and racial discrimination. Each comic book cover presents well known figures alongside satirical antagonists who have been transformed into imaginary creatures from real-life personalities.
The series is ordered to create a complete narrative. “The Patriarchy Punishers” depicts a tense scene just before a fight, “The Uni-Diverse Command” shows a fight in action, and “The LGBTeam” illustrates the success of winning a fight, leaving the audience feeling uplifted.
VIBHA TRIPATHI
Junior School Art Teacher
It has been a successful and productive term in our very busy Junior School art room. My little preps had a great time creating bead work. They made items including necklaces, bracelets and demonstrated their understanding of sequencing and patterns in their colourful wind chimes. Many times their little fingers lost control of their string, but this did not ruin their enthusiasm. With resilience, students started again and helped each other complete their art projects.
Another cohort displaying colourful art were Year 1 students. They explored the Unit ‘I Love Luna Park!’ and created some detailed drawings on the topic. Their artworks included Ferris wheels, slides, rides and food stalls which spoke volumes of their love for this very happening destination.
The Year 2s indulged in an ambitious construction task. They saw various videos on ship and boat construction for ideas in class, before embarking on their own creation. Six busy lessons produced colourful 3D models of boats with sails, flags, anchors and even pirates, out of egg cartons and recycled art materials. They also demonstrated problem-solving skills and teamwork by inspiring and appreciating each other’s work.
My Year 3s and 4s exhibited their understanding of ‘Multiculturalism’ in our School Community by designing T-shirts and mixed media puppets on the topic. They watched videos on the theme which was followed by discussion on their unique cultural backgrounds. They made several thumbnail drawings and brainstormed original and inspired ideas before final production.
Our Year 5s followed a similar process to design t-shirts for their own soccer team. They gained inspiration from professionally made logos and t-shirt samples from other schools. They drafted their ideas and refined them before final presentation. Some students used their advanced computer skills to design this art project. I am in awe of the creative ability and imagination of our talented children. It is a delight to see them enjoy the creative process.
