A MESSAGE FROM HEALTHWAY Healthway is proud to continue its partnership with the Art Gallery of WA to support the Pulse Perspectives exhibition, and promote the ActBelong-Commit mental health message.
By attending the exhibition you support and celebrate our young people and the role art plays in the development of their identities, sense of belonging and positive mental health and wellbeing.
Act-Belong-Commit promotes the importance of being active, having a sense of belonging and being connected to each other.
It is also a great opportunity for us all to get together in an inspiring and iconic environment - the wonderful Art Gallery of Western Australia. Before you leave, I encourage you to vote for your favourite artwork in the People’s Choice Award, supported by Act-Belong-Commit. I hope you enjoy the exhibition.
Keeping mentally healthy is just as important as staying physically healthy and participating in the exhibition is a great way to bring people together, and enhance community awareness about an important health issue.
Pulse Perspectives will showcase art works by some of the brightest and most talented graduating high school artists. Through their artwork we can gain insights into what they are thinking and feeling.
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You can find out more at actbelongcommit.org.au Susan Hunt PSM Chief Executive Officer Healthway
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MINISTER FOREWORD Every year, I am filled with respect and admiration for the young artists whose work is selected for Pulse Perspectives, and have a strong sense of hope for our shared future. The works on display reflect a thoughtful, impassioned, concerned and active generation. Congratulations to the 46 student artists whose work was selected for Pulse Perspectives this year. It is an outstanding achievement to be chosen from more than 290 submissions received from schools across the vast state of WA. I also extend my congratulations to their teachers and family in supporting and nurturing creativity in our youth. Creativity has never been more essential in equipping our younger generations with vital life-skills—the ability to consider multiple perspectives, to problem-solve creatively, to express their feelings and opinions, and maintain a sense of self and mental wellbeing.
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I’m delighted to see the Art Gallery of WA responding to the changing needs of our young people and introducing the AGWA Pulse program. It’s evident that today’s young people are articulate, knowledgeable, engaged and poised to actively contribute to society. AGWA’s Pulse programming will provide a vital arts platform from which they can. Again, I congratulate all the students whose work is presented in this year’s display and encourage everyone to view the remarkable talent demonstrated in the exhibition. While also taking the time to view the world from the perspective of our young artists and listen to what they have to say. David Templeman, MLA Minister for Culture and the Arts
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DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD Pulse Perspectives is a platform for showcasing contemporary student voices in the visual arts at a time of assertiveness, precariousness and change. The rebrand of this much loved show sits within the wider scope of PULSE, a new initiative by AGWA to provide engagement opportunities, access and support to our teen audience. It is time to create a meaningful platform that connects with these teens and young adults in their world. In 2019 a 16 year-old was nominated for the Nobel peace prize, a 14 year-old wielded an egg at a politician’s head in the name of protest, millions of children across the world marched for climate change. Young people are speaking, protesting, advocating, asking questions, writing manifestos, and lobbying governments. They are impacted by this world and at the same time they are inevitably its agents of change. Through the arts and creative programming AGWA Pulse plans to meet this groundswell of action and discourse by providing a platform for these voices.
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AGWA Pulse is a commitment to mentor, support, guide, facilitate and create programming that is meaningful for young audiences. With the creation of the Pulse Advisory Panel some of that programming will be created by young people, for young people and be featured on the walls and in physical and digital spaces. We will also create opportunities for connecting with artists, art and the wider world a key goal of the program. Pulse is accessible, disruptive and evolving as we engage young people in conversations to discover what they care about, what worries them, and where they want to be spending their time. I hope you enjoy this insight into the world and lives of our young people through the works of this year’s talented Pulse Perspectives artists. I encourage you to vote for the work which resonates with you in the Act-Belong-Commit People’s Choice Award. Stefano Carboni Director, AGWA
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SOPHIE ALLEN Frederick Irwin Anglican School
The ripple effect linoprint on tissue paper
In my work, I have used recurrent circular lines around me to symbolise the ripple effect of myself as an individual, reflecting on the influences of self as central to the environment in which I live. Inspired by printmaker Barbara Hanrahan, I have created a print of myself surrounded by sea creatures, flowers and other belongings that represent my relationship with where I live: a coastal community that is known for its beachfront lifestyles and recreational activities.
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SEBASTIAN BARRETT John XXIII College
Boys don’t cry
pastel on card, MDF concertina screen My work was inspired by the changes going on during the transition into adulthood, specifically looking at the male perspective on this daunting transition. Men are commonly expected to be strong, courageous, and brave, but when do we stop being boys and become men? My two friends and I are depicted in this work; the oversized clothing represents the societal expectation for men to fit into a mould we may just not be ready for.
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TYLAH BISSET
John Curtin College of the Arts
Untitled
digital print, embroidery thread, fabric, frames, paint I intend to show my appreciation for different cultures through the exploration of my own identity. I have created three photographs of myself adorned in patterns, jewellery and fabrics related to the cultures that contributed to the growth of my identity. The countries represent where my parents grew up— Zimbabwe, New Zealand, as well as Scottish and Native Indian ties, which are said to be in my bloodline.
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TARAH BORDBAR St Mary’s Anglican Girls School
Home grown
filler, intaglio, collograph and selective colouring on plywood I was inspired by my favourite native flower, the banksia. I expanded my initial design from a couple of etchings to enlarging sections and arranging them together to form a large mirrored pattern. The pattern represents the individuality and beauty of Australian flora, showing the density and complexity within the forms. I created this piece to show the need to preserve the ecosystems, which is a necessary part of the nation’s biodiversity.
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LAWSON BOUGHEY Mandurah Baptist College
Plea from the earth
watercolour and coloured pencil on paper Our planet is shared with countless animals, plants and complex living organisms, but unfortunately it seems they have little time left to show us their beauty and wonder. Nature becomes entangled with the ugly results of our ignorance. Pollution and other forms of degradation to nature are all able to be prevented, as we know the issue is due to the actions of those who don’t value our ecosystems. When we choose to ignore the consequences of our actions we are also forfeiting the longevity of our world.
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ELIZA BOYLE
Governor Stirling Senior High School
Those who have gone before digital print
These works explore the impact that people of the past have on the lives of people today. The pieces represent the natural and manmade worlds. The cityscape exemplifies the modern world and that even in our fast-changing world the lives of people of the past continue to guide us. The more organic river scene signifies where we came from as people and a society and how even before we got to this point our ancestors lit up the way. The glowing silhouettes represent the imprint left by our ancestors.
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BELLA BRANDIS
School of Isolated and Distance Education
Transcendental repression digital print
This work represents the current perpetual cycle of discrimination and racism that still occurs in our society. Transcendental repression is based around Pop Art and I created a very over-exaggerated and unrealistic series of four images to portray the idea that the British First Fleet effectively ‘swallowed up’ the traditions and culture of the Indigenous peoples, and forcefully replaced them with their own. I believe that we are too critical of diversity in life and need to understand that everyone is equal.
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LUKE BUTTON Eastern Hills Senior High School
Arborescent artist pen on wood
Arborescent depicts two realities locked in opposition: the natural landscape and the utility lines that flag our dominance of the world. Yet we fail to see that these flags are created from the corpses of that which we cut down, and so what will happen when it is all gone? What will we use to build, to breathe? Our short-sightedness and inability to see past our own desire to be at the ‘top’ is what I explore in my work.
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CLAUDIA CALLO Swan Christian College
La vita di Caterina
graphite pencil on illustration board Inspired by the loss of my Nonno and stories told by my Nonna of her life—how she met Nonno and the memories they made—my work honours my Nonna, her love for Nonno and their life. I love hearing her stories, reading old letters and seeing their old photos. In the portrait of Nonna I see a kind, funny, strong woman who inspires me to be like her. The portrait captures kindness in her eyes; her calm, gentle pose show her personality and her beauty both inside and out.
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NATASHA CHIN Applecross Senior High School
Jata Negra (Unity in strength) mixed media on MDF
This work explores my own sense of cross-cultural identity through the fusion of traditional motifs derived from my Malaysian ethnicity and my country of residence, Australia. The floral pattern seen adorning the Southern Cross stars is an influence from traditional Malaysian batik, an art practice I associate with my grandmother. The Malaysian coat of arms is similarly adorned with Australian bush flora. Together they reflect the union, exchange and adaptation of my dual cultural identity.
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SOPHIE COWELL Penrhos College
Das dokument und die handshuhe (The document and the gloves) mixed media textiles, embroidery, print, found objects
Travel is glamorous only in retrospect. Paul Theroux. My work explores the dichotomy of modern travel, in that it can be an uncomfortable and anxiety-ridden experience that is simultaneously rewarding and healthy. This is represented by the heavy gloves and the ornate passport. I was influenced by the works of iconic artist Tracey Emin and local ceramics and textiles artist Holly O’Meehan. The gloves were made to be worn and the passport was made to be touched, conveying the physical feeling of travel. 28
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RUBY COWNIE Presbyterian Ladies College
Between the lines
mixed media on textiles and oil paint After media coverage of trauma, endurance and sacrifice of refugees, I was compelled to share their stories. The suitcase depicts the face of Sara, a daughter of a refugee I met, and portrays emotional baggage. Sewn garments from original patterns depict refugees who carry their life on their back. The sculptural jacket symbolises a life vest and wire fence pattern reminiscent of detention centres. Continuous lines connect in a map, monochromatic work reflects the sombre mood, and colour and sequins represent hope.
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CAITLIN CROWLEY Santa Maria College
Memories oil on canvas
My work is a surrealist portrait that presents the theme of invisibility through expressing the subconscious, internal changes that occur at significant times in our lives, especially as we develop from a state of innocence to experience. This process of change and growth is especially relevant around the age that we leave high school and reflects my observation of this change within myself and those around me.
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OLIVIA DRY Presbyterian Ladies College
Enervate, perturb, beset oil on canvas
Enervate, perturb, beset explores the degradation of my mind due to pressures from school, social groups and societal expectations. I wanted to experiment with grotesque imagery, created through ugly posing and intense colours, such as sickly greens, bloody reds and more clinical blues, to further show the feelings of disgust and horror about myself spawned from these anxieties. Oil paints are the perfect medium for me, as the painstakingly mixed colours and blending also adds the feelings.
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CONNOR FALLON Wanneroo Secondary College
Boys don’t cry mixed textile
My work represents the gender ideals we ‘wrap’ our children in from birth. The toxicity of traditional masculinity is detrimental to men’s mental health, as I have witnessed through the deteriorating mental health of the males in my own family. This blanket has been constructed with stereotypically masculine textiles. A baby blanket is something that should be used to protect our young and impressionable children, but instead this blanket may very well suffocate and do more damage than good.
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LAUREN HAZEBROEK Woodvale Secondary College
Knit me together in my mother’s womb wire, wood, glass, fishing line
My work was inspired by the biblical verse ‘knit me together in my mother’s womb’ from Psalm 139. This speaks of our relationship with our maker. I have chosen to intricately crochet the heart and female reproductive system which are vital for life. I placed them in a sterile environment to represent the crossroads of traditional and modern values. Although I wish to pursue a career in science, I am conflicted by the idea that my role in society is to create and care for new life.
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THASA HENDRICKS Peter Moyes Anglican Community School
Mad world
watercolour pencil on paper In the conception of the idea for this work I decided that I wanted to produce a piece that portrayed Donald Trump as a ‘clown’ and a ‘mad man’. The use of negative space in the work symbolises that Trump lacks substance, that his image is false and can often be constructed by the manipulation of the media. The Mad Hatter imagery is intended to convey my belief that his mental capacity is laughable and that he is putting on a show.
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ROSIE JANES Prendiville Catholic College
Deliverance
wood, paper, stone metal, shell, plant fibre, synthetic polymer, glass, synthetic polymer paint and ink Illustrating the lyrics from the song, ‘Do You Hear The People Sing’ from the musical Les Miserables, I aimed to convey the power of literacy with reference to how knowledge has been withheld from vast populations throughout history. It has only been in relatively recent times that technology has provided access to empower the majority. I investigated and authentically recreated the main forms of writing throughout history, using as many traditional techniques, tools and materials as possible.
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BRANDT JESNOEWSKI Governor Stirling Senior High School
Untitled
mixed media on canvas Using gestural marks and juxtaposing them with a graffiti-based street style influenced by Neo-Expressionist Jean-Michel Basquiat, I have produced a body of work with two portraits in an abstract and stylised manner to evoke an emotional response with the viewer. The use of abstract figures and cryptic writing in the works, encourage the viewer to consider their own personal experiences while interpreting the work.
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EZIO LAWLATA John Curtin College of the Arts
Kebanggaan dan Identitas
batik on dyed cotton, metal clasp, inkjet on fine art matte My work explores my ancestral links to Indonesia and comments on my identity, as well as the issue of deforestation. Deforestation in Indonesia involves the long-term loss of forests across much of the country; it has had massive environmental and social impacts. I paid homage to my family’s ancestry with the technique of batik, a traditional art from Indonesia, to bring awareness to this important contemporary issue.
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EMILY LEWIS St Norbert College
Death inspires me scratchboard
I have had an extremely challenging year, moving out of home and becoming independent among other things. The title and inspiration for this work came from a song containing the lyric ‘Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit’. It is a metaphor for many of the challenges I’ve faced this year.
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ELLESSEA MARTINCIC Corpus Christi College
The three battles
lead pencil on drawing board The intention of this work is to get the audience to question gender-based stereotypes of men and women in our society. I decided to challenge the idea that men must not be seen as weak and fragile while women can’t be seen as superior and strong. I have presented them against each other to prove that both women and men are more than what society depicts them as, while allowing the individual to come through in the portraits, confronting their own insecurities and self-inflicted pain.
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MILA MARY
Presbyterian Ladies College
Super normal
mixed media on board My work has been heavily inspired by the modern-day woman. Externally, what we show to the world and often through social media is a glimpse of ourselves looking lady-like, presentable and put-together, shown in the centre of the paintings; what is kept on the inside, in our minds, scatters around the frame. I intended to provide a humorous look at female experience in the age of internet and societal expectations. I have been inspired by Frida Kahlo, Polly Nor and Ben Evans.
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MANON MASON Helena College
Brothers
oil on marine plywood My brothers are my world. I was there when each was born, and I’ve had the privilege of watching them grow—they are larger than life, their existence is intrinsically significant to my own and has shaped my point of view of the world and my purpose within it. When they were young, they were barely outlines... but as they’ve grown, these lines have filled in with unique personalities, perspectives, strengths and weaknesses. This is my point of view of two teenagers—my brothers, my world.
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GENEVIEVE MATTHEWS Penrhos College
Ocean in the plastic
slip cast, paper cast, porcelain corals Bottled water confuses and angers me. The water bottle form represents the individual contribution to the catastrophic effects of plastic on the environment. People often disregard their everyday purchases of unnecessary plastic. Extending my investigation, I started working with a plastic takeaway container. The container and the bottle echo the basic need for food and water. Artists who influenced my project were Fleur Schell and Holly O’Meehan.
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CHARLOTTE MEAGHER Kalamunda Senior High School
Orange house oil on canvas
I drew inspiration from my own suburban home. My house itself is not irregular, though the saturation of colour within my piece portrays a different message. It is entirely devoid of human activity and is quite a disturbing view of a family house. The use of colour gives the illusion of hyperactivity, reflecting the resources that go into a thriving household at the expense of the planet.
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LIAM MIDDLETON Geraldton Senior College
Aesthetic chaos
digital print three dimensional modelling software, lightbox Upon taking great interest in the world’s majestic cityscapes, I became inspired to build one myself, implementing styles and elements from two of my other great interests, cyberpunk and science fiction. The rings, linings and squares of colourful electronic lighting that create the effect of an advanced, technological appearance are dominant features in the two aforementioned genres. I almost see my work as a sketch or artist impression of future city development.
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ALBA MURATORE John XXIII College
Nonna
oil on canvas My work portrays the displacement and isolation felt by my Nonna after moving away from Italy to a vastly different society in Australia. The contrast between Nonna and the vandalised urban background not only emphasises her disconnection but also highlights her traditional values in an evolving contemporary world. Nonna’s dissatisfied expression and closed off body language convey her rejection of contemporary society, as she is often marginalised due to her cultural differences.
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AIDAN NARITA Applecross Senior High School
Unblinking eye
oil on plywood and MDF Surveillance and CCTV equipment have become an ever-increasing factor in modern city environments. My two-piece work suggests how the idea of these cameras can create a welcomed sense of security but also involuntarily sanction an invasion of our privacy. The empty everyday cityscape is void of the usual crowds and yet the camera keeps filming.This work suggests that out there is an unblinking eye that doesn’t stop staring, even when there is no one in view. It questions who is watching and why?
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MONIQUE NASH Shenton College
Sheep
mixed media on canvas My work is about the destruction of characterful old homes, which are replaced with modern, grey, concrete houses. There is a lot of this urbanisation in my street, and I was largely inspired by my parents, who bought one of these old houses and renovated it to its former glory. My painting represents society in the way that character and individuality is lost to the desire to fit in.
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RICHARD NGUYEN Canning Vale College
All mixed up digital video duration 1:57 min
All mixed up depicts the relationship between my surroundings and my ethnicity as I am both Vietnamese and Australian. I’m still involved in my Vietnamese culture but have become ‘white washed’ as I don’t follow every rule. I have filmed myself struggling to eat traditional foods and layering animation over to show my struggle of not fitting in, hopefully humourously. I feel as though not conforming isn’t a bad thing, instead an opportunity for both cultures to coexist and for me to feel less disconnected to either.
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ALEXANDRA O’BRIEN Iona Presentation College
I’m all ears
oil on canvas, audio file and oil on headphones As a profoundly deaf person living in a hearing world with the assistance of hearing-aids, I feel I exist in a liminal space between the two. This puts me in a position to be both privy to, yet alienated from, both the hearing and deaf worlds. I am viewed as an outsider to both. The plastic covering each face physically invokes the divide I feel between myself and the hearing and deaf groups, whilst also suggesting the ‘invisible’ nature of my hearing loss. Aesthetically I was influenced by the Dutch Golden Age.
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NIAMH O’DONOVAN Nagle Catholic College
Contact
graphite on paper My piece Contact explores my personal perspective on the fundamental importance of family members and close friends. The graphite drawings heavily rely on the use of hands and physical contact to convey ideas about human connection and how this shapes the people we become. I have always been aware of this as I have grown up in a large extended family with both of my parents coming from large families themselves. I have always felt a strong sense of belonging, love and connection to my family. The bizarre and somewhat awkward composition of hands and arms in the piece was a deliberate choice as they represent in my eyes how—despite the dysfunction and apparent disconnection that comes naturally in human relationships—they are still a thing of beauty and play a role in molding us as people. The importance of human connection as one of the fundamental building blocks of the human psyche is alluded to with the multiple hands. 72
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TAMIA PAULSE Canning Vale College
Pivotal inauguration
acrylic paint and water colour pencil on plywood Pivotal inauguration represents the power and strength of Cyril Ramaphosa and the hope he brings to people being the new president of South Africa. There are many possibilities of what is in store for the country, both good and bad. This is important for me as I am originally from South Africa and I still have family members there: the corruption has gone on too long and Ramaphosa gives us all hope for a more honest, traditional and prosperous future.
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LAURA PROVAN Carine Senior High School
The puppeteer
oil and biro on MDF, clay, hair, textile, wood, fish wire It can often feel like we’re being flung through life, controlled by some external force whether it is through the expectations of others, or our own inner conflicts. Puppets embody this sense and feeling of being overcome and controlled. In a way, we’re all puppets playing our part in the great machine of society, our roles pre-decided by generations before us and the domineering, omniscient presence of authoritative forces and cultural standards.
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ISSY RAMSHAW John Curtin College of the arts
Irreverence
meadow grass, natural raffia and beeswax The natural world surrounds us everywhere, but we are slowly distancing ourselves from it. With our ‘progress’ in technology, we express our gradual disassociation from Mother Earth. I use my work to ironically emphasise the relationship and barriers between the two. I have been inspired by the work of Sharyn Egan and Nalda Searles, two Western Australian artists who work with natural fibres.
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MITCHELL REPSEVICIUS Hale School
Family ties oil on MDF
My work is a study of the rapid generational change. The rawness of facial expressions is an extremely interesting subject and I wanted to expolore it as a way of showing that the current generation is more fun and less formal, hence also the addition of the swinging tie. Throughout my art schooling, I have always had a profound interest in expressionism and impasto mark-making of the human face. I was inspired and influenced mainly by the large scale Colin Davidson portraits.
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ALISS RIGBY Perth Modern School
Wedlock
oil on plywood Lace, a symbol of marriage, originates from the word ‘noose’ or ‘to ensnare’. This seemed appropriate to me, as in marriages historically and in many cultures the woman relied on her husband to support her. It is odd, living in current time of female empowerment that we are still encouraged to seek out a man. I wanted to explore and represent the contemporary women, like myself, who do not strive for marriage. Wrapped in lace, retaining femininity and strength, she confronts the audience with her expression taking control of her life and future.
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PRISCILLA ROSSI Santa Maria College
Ageing
coloured pencil on block mounted paper My piece explores the conflicting nature of ageing. Ageing can be an uncomfortable reality, as demonstrated by the created tension in my piece by a range of elements. The elongated composition of the six-seater car contributes to this tension, as well as the claustrophobic atmosphere implied by the repeated figures and clashing of the inverted car interior. The old fashioned-style of car enhances the notion of age. American artist Eric White inspired the way I wanted to convey certain ideas.
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JOSHUA SURIN Ellenbrook Secondary College
文化 (Culture)
pen on paper and digital prints Culture is an interesting phenomenon that details the culmination of thousands of years of arts, traditions, customs and stories. My intention was to explore a variety of aspects of Japanese culture and then focus on a particular part of Japanese culture—Buddhism. I wanted to express my appreciation and interest towards this culture and way of life, portraying them in a grand and glorified state and introducing fantastical designs to highlight my point of view on the culture.
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ANGELICO TALLE Ellenbrook Secondary College
A time for everything charcoal on paper
I wanted to illustrate the small moments often missed that are cherished with family, and to portray the value and importance of love. Every day we get caught up in our own activities and often forget to cherish the moments with those closest to us. My work depicts such small moments of intimacy with family that are worth treasuring and which make the difficult moments in life bearable. I was influenced by Shaun Tan and in particular his book The Arrival.
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STEPHANIE TAN Willetton Senior High School
Changing tides oil on canvas
My work focuses on my grandpa in Malaysia who had to follow the ‘changing tides’ all his life. He grew up in a wealthy family but had to work many labourintensive and dangerous jobs and had learnt how to be content with whatever he had at that moment. My grandfather is pictured with the hat framing his face, reminiscent of a Byzantine icon. The reflections in the water are a symbol of the ever-changing and unpredictable events in life.
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ANNA WANG
John Curtin College of the Arts
Red sky in the morning
ink pen and alcohol marker on gessoed plywood panel As our contemporary society advances rapidly into the future, we are leaving behind our cultures and traditions. The title Red sky in the morning, the sailors’ warning, metaphorically suggests our developing planet is consuming the timeless history that was once evident. By incorporating vibrant, artificial billboards of multi-national companies in contrast to the fading traditional landscape, I emphasise the impact of global franchises on Chinese heritage.
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ALICE WU
Willetton Senior High School
文化 (Culture) oil on canvas
This work explores the hardships of being first-generation migrants who came to Australia in search of a new life. The subject of the painting is my dad. Cigarettes can be a relief, but are also a means of taking away good health. The tablets symbolise the need to heal the weak and broken body of the people of the working class. I was inspired by Louise Hearman’s work Barry with the use of dry, blended brush strokes as well as the high contrast.
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GRACE YONG Willetton Senior High School
The making of Reuben Black oil on canvas
First impressions don’t always tell the full story. As Reuben and I became friends, I realised that it takes more than first impressions and a common interest to know more about a person. Our belongings tell a unique story about who we are and it also points out where our future may lead. This painting aims to give people an insight into his background, his past and his current interests as well as the various influences from the people he’s met along the way.
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JULIUS YU Christ Church Grammar
Cavity
oil on board, painted wooden dowels, acrylic sheets, nails, plywood Within buildings, there are functional rooms we rarely see. We are unaware of these structures and components that make built environments operate to service our needs. My work explores the veneer of architectural spaces and the utilities that are conveniently designed out of sight. By combining painting and sculpture I have created three distinct points of view, allowing the viewer to physically move around the work and observe different architectural spaces in one unified work.
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