The West Australian Pulse 2023

A MESSAGE FROM THE

The Art Gallery of Western Australia is proud to present the thirty-first installation of The West Australian Pulse. Every year, this highly anticipated exhibition provides audiences with insight into the creative and ambitious minds of young artists who have recently graduated Year 12.

From domestic observations to societal concerns, from weaving memory to playing with fantasy, this year’s artists move fluidly across medium and genre to present a rich showcase which reflects the world as they know it. These works present an interesting mix of technique, originality, and creative interrogation, contributing to conversations on mental health and social pressures, politics and environmentalism, memory, and the passage of time. This generous invitation to consider their world views is an entry point to an ongoing dialogue led by the youth of today.

We value the work of every single student that submitted to this year’s exhibition and extend this appreciation to the efforts of the parents, teachers, and schools that encouraged these artists in developing their creative process. Through art, they have found a moment for reflection, critique, and expression – a necessary refuge from this fast-paced world.

Aligned to its community-minded values, The West Australian Pulse is a platform advocating for a life in the arts. While the importance that art brings to our lives is well established, we are seeing less incentive for engagement with the arts across society. The West Australian Pulse contests the underestimation of arts, and together in partnership with The West Australian, we amplify the voices of young people and support them in pursuing artistic ventures – personally or professionally.

The West Australian Pulse is a reminder that making time to create and experience art enriches our lives. I hope you enjoy the selected works in this year’s The West Australian Pulse and encourage you to vote for the work that resonates with you in the People’s Choice Award.

— Colin Walker, Director AGWA

A MESSAGE FROM THE

When I was in high school I loved drama classes.

So much so that being in the Year 12 school production was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my education experience.

But I distinctly remember people telling me that there were no jobs in the theatre and I should focus on a more practical career choice.

When I got to university, I originally studied film.

I had dreams of being the next Martin Scorsese or Stanley Kubrick.

My friends and I spent our spare time creating short films.

Again, people told me there were no jobs in the movies (especially in Perth) and I should focus on a more practical career choice.

I eventually found my way into studying journalism, which I immediately fell in love with. And again, people told me there were no jobs in journalism and I should focus on a more practical career choice.

The difference was that by then I was confident enough in myself and my own talents to ignore the naysayers and continue doing what I love.

The rest is history.

The West Australian Pulse is incredibly proud of its sponsorship of Pulse and our driving ambition behind the partnership is to encourage, support and inspire students with a passion for the arts to keep doing what they love.

There are jobs in the arts. There is a career path there. You don’t have to go work in the mines (!) We tell a lot of stories every day at The West Australian.

The other thing we love about Pulse is that it’s a chance to listen.

More than that, it’s a chance to listen to our youth and hear their thoughts and feelings about the world today.

What is troubling them, what is inspiring them and what they want to help change.

Congratulations to all the students on display and all the students and schools who participated across the State.

May they all have a long and wonderful journey in the arts world from here on.

— Anthony De Ceglie, West Australian Newspapers Editor in Chief

Congratulations to this year’s selected artists on inclusion in The West Australian Pulse 2023 exhibition. Each year, this exhibition presents some of the best art from Western Australia’s talented young artists. Always popular, both with visitors and submitting schools, to be selected is an honour and testament to your skill and commitment to creativity.

I would like to acknowledge all the submitting artists for this year’s exhibition. With over 70 schools submitting works for selection, it is always a challenge for the judging panel to select the works for display. Thank you to the educators and families who supported our young artists over the past year.

The West Australian Pulse exhibition has been part of the cultural fabric of visual arts for young artists for over thirty years. Through its partnership with Seven West Media, I’m delighted to see The Art Gallery of Western Australia amplifying the Pulse program this year by celebrating young creatives across all art forms and championing careers in the creative industries.

Creativity remains essential in building a thriving society and fostering an innovative and inclusive culture. It’s pleasing to see the State Gallery championing this message and providing a platform for the voices of our talented young creatives.

Pulse is always an anticipated exhibition for the participating artists, their families, and the Western Australian public. Each year, I look forward to this opportunity to view the world through the lens of our young people, and this year is no different.

They are the change-makers and future-shapers for WA. I am impressed by the deeply thought and felt artworks demonstrating care, compassion and concern for our society. I am inspired and leave with a renewed belief in the importance of creativity for our community.

I urge everyone to take the opportunity to view these incredible works for themselves, hear what our young artists have to say, and continue your support of the arts in WA.

— David Templeman, MLA Minister for Culture and the Arts; Sport and Recreation; International Education; Heritage

The future is ours to create

PULSE ARTISTS OF 2023

Samara Ainge

Dawn Albuquerque

Elissa Baker

Henry Baker

Jana Bezuidenhout

Sky Biesse

Laura Bonney

Clay Chase

Dani Cinamon

Luca Datodi

Paige Davey

Milo Davison

Sabinne Dawson

Ella Dixon

Eliane Fic

Ela Findlater

Saskia Flemming

Andrea Forrester

Ella Fung

Sakura Furukawa

Amelia Gatti

Isabella Gaunt

Georgina Godfrey

Amy (Yuting) Gu

Alice Handcock

Parker Harris

Gladys Heu

Zoe Huntley

Johar Ibnouhani

Anneliese Ilic

Irene Jatmatama

Olivia Kalin

Emily Kim

Alison Lam

Felix Lawson

Georgia Letts

Kirsten McCormick

Thomas Macknay

Matthew Menezes

Will Moldrich

Daniella Mukwada

Nora Nikolic

Emer O’Brien

Oscar Palandri

Taya Preshaw

Molly Racco

Sethuli Rajapakse

Sawdah Rennie

Loren Retta

Max Rohr

Cody Ryall

Sonia Sewpal

India Seymour-Eyles

Kylie Simons

Amberley Sow

Miles Tawns

Olivera Topuzovic

Cindy Wang

Jade Watson

Claudia Werch

SAMARA AINGE

Escapism, 2022

animation and digital illustration print

42.0 x 29.7 cm

My artwork explores themes of escapism and how becoming too consumed in a non-physical world can lead to a disconnection from reality. I am focusing on how technology plays a role in this issue.

Each animation frame is hand drawn, painted in gouache, scanned, and compiled digitally in Adobe Animate. This process represents the merging of reality and fiction resulting from unhealthy escapism. The busy, mixed media style captures the noise used to block out reality.

Mirroring my animation, the hand drawn digital illustration uses colour to represent reality and the escapist world.

All Saints’ College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

DAWN ALBUQUERQUE

Stagnation, 2022

pencil on paper, ceramic and nuno felting 2280 x 630 x 40 cm

Stagnation reflects on the lingering effects of sexual assault which caused disconnection from myself and my body. To convey this, I have created an artwork depicting myself as Medusa, a victim of sexual assault whose story was vilified throughout history. My artwork explores the emotional turmoil felt after such a harrowing experience. Often, one can lose themselves and create new perceptions of one’s own identity.

I aim to make the audience uncomfortable when viewing this piece, to echo a suffocating silence and overwhelm that is felt after experiencing an event in which you lose all sense of control.

Corpus Christi College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ELISSA BAKER

Creature in the Dark, 2022

coloured pencil on paper

29.2 x 41.5

John Curtin College of the Arts

This artwork shares insight into my experience of living with CFS/ME. While my chronic illness is seemingly invisible, I have depicted a sleeping figure to represent the most visible of my symptoms, which is enduring and intense fatigue in response to regular activities. The lone figure depicts the isolation I have experienced as my ability to live a “normal” life has been completely eroded. The carrion birds hidden in darkness symbolise how pushing myself for too long can consume my ability to both physically and neurologically function, much like how scavengers wait patiently for the dead so they can feast.

HENRY BAKER

The Oracles, 2022

My artwork investigates the personalities of seagulls. When you go to the beach, they all look the same, but with my painting, I am trying to illustrate their unique identities. If you look closely, you will find some surprising traits!

I was influenced by the artist Leon Pericles and his attention to detail.

synthetic polymer paint and pen on board 120 x 90 x 1 cm

Great Southern Grammar

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

JANA BEZUIDENHOUT

Bodybag, 2022

My ceramic sculpture depicts the prevalence of misogyny and the unfair treatment of women in society. From wage disparity to workplace harassment and sexism, women face disparity in many ways. My artwork is hand-built in stoneware clay using traditional building methods. The glaze was media tested to achieve a high gloss surface which conceals the female form to create a sense of discovery and surprise.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School

ceramic 40 x 30 x 18 cm

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

SKY BIESSE

Don’t Worry Be Happy, 2022

My artwork captures the inner turmoil of mental illness, through reflection on my own personal experiences. The intention behind this concept was to create a visual representation of mental illness for those who do not understand the toll it takes on the human mind. I wanted to contribute to the conversation on mental health inviting viewers to connect with the experience regardless of whether they have mental illness or not. The figurative subject matter was inspired by artwork from the Renaissance period and the artistic practice of Phil Hale, who captures emotion through dynamic compositions.

oil on canvas 153 x 122 x 3 cm

St Mark’s Anglican Community School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

LAURA BONNEY

Mungarrtji-(late afternoon evening) Mungagka(in the night), 2022

Being on Country is very close to my heart and creates a sense of connection to land.

The cycle of the end of the day into the night promises the beginning of a new day. This is the cycle for all of us on our life journey.

The light of sunset shows life forms on the land thriving and moving. The dark is perilous and scary with unseen creatures that could be dangerous, living in the shadows. This is the same for our life, the light and dark reflecting the day and night.

St Clare’s School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ink on canvas 120 x 80 x 4 cm

CLAY CHASE

Injured heart, 2022

photography and textiles

90 x 190 x 3 cm

Disability is either glorified or completely ignored within the arts. This makes it difficult to find accurate representation of what it is like to live with a disability. In reaction to this, my artwork reflects my relationship with my disability. My disability impacts the function of my heart when it is upright, causing my heart rate to spike incredibly high as it attempts to pump blood around my whole body. I chose a yellow colour pallet for my artwork to refute society’s perceptions of disability. While my disability does negatively affect me, it does not cause me to be miserable.

Perth Modern School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

DANI CINAMON

The Colour of Money, 2022

Throughout history, leaders of the world have illustrated their hunger for power. This corruption has created economic and psychological devastation in many countries. This artwork comments on this abuse of power by reflecting upon Zimbabwe’s 2017 political coup. For this artwork, I made use of the Zimbabwean money my family had kept when they left our home country. I have painted directly onto Zimbabwean money to symbolise the destruction of the economy and used ink to highlight the pain the everyday people have suffered because of this. It is the people who, just like you and me, make up these nations yet are so disregarded and neglected by their so-called leaders.

LUCA DATODI

Uniformity, 2022

Scotch College

etched steel plate on board 34 x 109 x 2 cm

Uniformity was inspired by an artwork we have at home by an unknown artist. I have always been intrigued by this artwork as it is both realistic and mysterious, private and public.

My artwork is made up of six photographically etched plates exploring the themes of uniformity, specifically looking at the control and concealment of the wearer’s identity. With reference to my camouflaged hunting sculpture and school uniform, the depictions in my artwork speak to concealment and control. Although I recognise how uniforms can provide protection and belonging to an environment, they also act to constrain our individualism.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

PAIGE DAVEY

It’s just a dinosaur?, 2022

The youth of today are experts at making the best of a bad situation. With this artwork, I aim to convey how the youth have become desensitised due to the number of atrocities they are exposed to through the internet and social media. Sustaining shock factor nowadays is a strenuous task but the intention behind this work is to celebrate the ability of Gen-Z to joke through yet another traumatic event. With reference to Jurassic Park, I have recreated the movie’s original subtle palette into more vibrant and brighter colours to reflect my generation’s habit of lightening tense situations.

oil on MDF board 122.0 x 81.5 x 0.6 cm

John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

MILO DAVISON

Childhood’s Peak, 2022

I grew up with almost 10 acres around me, a loving family, and a supportive environment. My start was sweet but slowly grew more and more bitter. By the time I was twelve years old we finally were kicked out of our family home. This old house was the peak of my childhood and home to my memories.

Layered with personal memories, my artwork expresses a homely ambience and nostalgia. While creating this work I was confronted by many difficult memories, however the process has helped me to reflect upon and acknowledge the experiences of my childhood.

Nagle Catholic College

gouache on canvas

30.5 x 41.0 x 6.5 cm

SABINNE DAWSON

TIME EXPERIENCES, 2022

ink, colour pencils and watercolour on paper

76 x 76 cm

My artwork is an exploration of the experience of time through a collage of ink and colour pencil illustrations. The concept of time makes me appreciate the absurdity of everyday experiences and I hoped to capture this feeling in my work. Taking inspiration from comic-style art, I used water-based inks to create linework and rendered using coloured pencils and watercolour. I used colour more expressively than literally, choosing complementary and analogous colours to create movement, focus and interest.

The Perth Waldorf School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ELLA DIXON

Register 3, 2022

soft sculpture, hand painted ceramic sculpture and found grocery objects 34 x 41 x 48 cm

The average person spends 26 minutes in a grocery store which can add up to around 9 months in a lifetime. Working at a supermarket has allowed me to witness the ritual of food shopping. I interact with customers from all walks of life. In noticing the items they choose and imagining their stories, I have come to notice the habits of everyday strangers. I have always been drawn to the aesthetic of food labelling and the multisensory experience of the supermarket, and this artwork is an observational response to my job as a checkout assistant.

Penrhos

ELIANE FIC

Boys Don’t Cry, 2022

120 x 90 cm

My artwork reflects the mental anguish many boys face during the challenges of their teen years, with reference to the intimidations and pressures they undergo regarding their rites of passage. The broad impasto strokes represent the noise and chaos of society while the refined brushwork maximises the emotion in the subject’s face. In doing so, I have captured a moment between violence and catharsis, a release of pent-up anger, frustration, and emotional rage. With this work, I hope to eradicate the stigma surrounding men showing emotions and raise awareness for men’s mental health.

Seton Catholic College

oil on canvas

Dissevered and Drained, 2022

digital painting and mixed media 40 x 35 x 6 cm

Dissevered and Drained are mixed-media artworks combining digital print and sculpture. I was interested in exploring the concept of isolation, particularly depersonalisation. While depersonalisation is an individual experience, I believe that everyone feels separated from reality at times. The images were hand-drawn in high resolution using handwork and apple pen on iPad screen, then printed digitally onto canvas paper. The sculptural frames were created with more traditional techniques including ceramics, welding, carpentry, and painting. The inspiration behind my artwork was to create a traditional portrait style painting with a contemporary combination of techniques and materials.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School

SASKIA FLEMMING Collective Past, 2022

found bones and human hair

60 x 46 x 13 cm

This piece explores the idea of ‘small histories,’ the stories that don’t make the books nor daily conversations. The objects we keep have unique pasts, entering our lives for a transient moment in time. Many objects outlive us and transgress the modern trends that we live by. The skull was collected on my family farm, belonging to a sheep whose history is unknown. The hair is from my mum’s first boyfriend, carefully snipped decades ago yet still curly. I entangle these histories by fusing them into a single object, playing on the fleeting modern trends which sit in contrast to the materials’ past.

Presbyterian Ladies College

ANDREA FORRESTER

Banana Split, 2022

oil on canvas 92 x 76 x 4 cm

Providence Christian College

Banana Split is a slang term used to describe East Asian people who seem too assimilated into mainstream Western culture. It is primarily used within the Asian community to express someone’s apparent loss of culture. As I grow up in The West, I continue to feel more disconnected from my racial identity. My artwork reflects on this experience with reference to the Chinese New Year. The outer paintings depict a younger me celebrating in a distant and blurry past while the middle painting reflects my current disconnection and confusion.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ELLA FUNG

Joyride, 2022

Greed is an inherent trait of human behaviour. Acting in self-interest increases one’s chance of survival. However, when we are no longer working from a place of self-preservation but rather for indulgence, we begin to exploit our own kind for personal gain. Through exploring the different socioeconomic expressions of a joyride, my artwork explores the disparity between the super-wealthy and that of ordinary people. With reference to Jeff Bezos’s 2012 space trip, my artwork draws on the immense number of resources expended to satisfy a joyride for the world’s wealthiest, a possibility achieved by condemning them to inhuman working conditions.

Perth Modern School

oil and paint pen on board 66 x 110 x 2 cm

SAKURA FURUKAWA

ink

graphic markers

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

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AMELIA GATTI

The Cover Up, 2022

As a young female, bearing witness to the endless allegations made by women against violent and entitled men, I am shocked and saddened that our leaders in power are not doing all they can to make the necessary changes to protect women, alter systemic attitudes and prevent violent behaviour in our society.

My quilted artwork intentionally contradicts its intended use, which is to protect and provide warmth. I have utilised the medium of textiles, a craft traditionally associated with women, as a visual weapon in the ongoing education of men.

fabric, permaset paint and embroidery thread 203 x 148 x 0.5 cm

Iona Presentation College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ISABELLA GAUNT

#1in7,

2022

The way in which we present ourselves externally is not always an accurate representation of how we are feeling internally. My artwork reveals how people suppress their true feelings and identities under the pressure of being part of the norm. This brings rise to depression and anxiety, an issue for approximately one in seven young people in Australia.

Colourful ribbons have traditionally been used to decorate and categorise. I have used them as a symbol of the surface version of ourselves that we show to the world. My artwork questions what is more important, physical appearance or mental health and wellbeing?

Iona Presentation College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

GEORGINA GODFREY

Hardwired, 2022

My artwork explores the prevalence of social media and technology, and how they overwhelmingly infiltrate every aspect of our lives with unnecessary pressure. I often find myself engrossed in my phone or laptop for long periods of time and am aware that I am not suffering this modern addiction alone. My artwork portrays the feelings of unhappiness, loneliness, and exhaustion that arise from the overuse of technology. My sculpture’s scale captures the enormity of the problem, with vertical rows of polaroids symbolic of computer coding, and the central glitched image representing how our reality is becoming disjointed because of our modern hardwiring.

oil on polaroid film, polaroid photographs, wood and fishing wire 180 x 95 x 60 cm

Presbyterian Ladies College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

AMY (YUTING) GU

Faustian bargain

ceramic, plywood and synthetic polymer paint

50 x 45 x 10 cm

Melville Senior High School

My artwork explores environmental pollution, with particular focus on the impact of oil spills on marine life. Oil spills have a negative impact on thousands of species, affecting everything from invertebrates, fishes, birds, and mammals, humans included. I was influenced by contemporary artist Ai Weiwei’s artwork, titled Oil Spills, where he asks us to reconsider our values and overdependence on technology and convenience. In exploring this theme, I reference Fish (Still Life) by Édouard Manet and the Faustian bargain to comment on the fate we have devised for ourselves.

“dead nature”, 2022

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ALICE HANDCOCK

Survivalism, 2022

66.5 x 66.5 x 0.1 cm

My artwork is inspired by recounts of my Nuno in the mid 1970s. It is said that Nuno filled three, 44-gallon drums with survivalist items, hid them on his farming property, and prepared his family to readily relocate to ensure survival. Nuno’s preparation was in response to the many conflicts that occurred during his lifetime. My first drawing conveys the concerns and realities of Nuno’s generation while second drawing highlights the comforts and materialism of modern society. This comparison raises the question of what we would do today in the event of a crisis.

pencil on paper

Santa Maria College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

PARKER HARRIS

resin, spray paint, acrylic and LED lights 23.0 x 68.2 x 26.0 cm

This artwork is a celebration of our differences and the things that make us unique. Each cast resin figure reflects a different aspect of my identity, including my ADHD, Autism, Trans and Nonbinary experiences.

Inspired by my experiences with Colour Synaesthesia, the colours of my artwork were matched to what I see and feel when I think about each aspect of my identity. The circles represent how my experience is continuous and the use of mirrors and reflection symbolise how these elements affect every part of my life; they are me, I am them.

Perth College Anglican School for Girls

They are me, I am them, 2022

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

GLADYS HEU

A camouflaged soul, 2022

oil on canvas

50.8 x 101.6 x 2.0 cm

My painting explores conditioning within the confines of our family home and cultural traditions. Restricted and tied down by my Chinese culture, I had limited freedom and was forced to embody the ideal daughter. My artwork has been inspired by contemporary artist Kawita Vatanajyankur. I have painted a moment in her performance where the body is constrained and vulnerable. The use of symbolic imagery, such as the red yarn and blue and white patterns, camouflage the figure to represent the bindings of tradition.

Melville Senior High School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

ZOE HUNTLEY

A History of the Human Smile, 2022

aluminium, wire, verdigris and patina solution

103 x 120 cm

Our teeth are more complex than we give them credit for. They hold our history and genetics, yet we all feel a sense of disgust and vulnerability surrounding how we feel about our teeth. My artwork comments on this shame through the exaggerated, grimy, and gritty painting of mouths. The teeth I painted exist on a spectrum, from adolescence through to old age, representing the journey of our teeth. I have painted each mouth on a sheet of metal that I hand rusted, representing the natural and inevitable decay and the degradation in attitude surrounding our teeth over our lifetime.

Methodist Ladies College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

JOHAR IBNOUHANI

Alhamdulillah, 2022

This artwork reflects my culture and religious heritage. The pattern was inspired by the Moroccan lanterns that can be found in my father’s hometown of Marrakech. With the intention to develop something that fits my feelings of home, I used repetition to create a pattern resembling Moroccan tiles. As I grew up in Australia, I intentionally blurred the lantern lights in my artwork to reflect how my culture and religion are continually out of focus in my life. The common Islamic phrase Alhamdulillah is depicted as a faint and subtle layer, reinforcing how incomplete I feel about my own faith.

Kalamunda Senior High School

Photo:

ANNELIESE ILIC

Section 112, 2022

cast plaster and watercolour various measurements

Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code refers to a law that makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten members of the royal family. At a recent Bangkok rally demanding political reforms, one of the movement leaders held up the three-finger salute as a symbol of resistance and liberty.

This artwork comments on the collective trauma of peaceful activists who have faced arbitrary arrest, harassment, and criminal prosecution while standing against the nation’s deepening repression of rights. Created out of castings of my own hands, the fractured and imperfect plaster hands represent the persistence of the courageous protestors.

Applecross Senior High School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

IRENE JATMATAMA

Retrospective Collection, 2022

All

Retrospective Collection is about memory how reminiscing allows us to reflect and histories forward for the next generations. represent memories as a collection of tokens always carry. My memories are symbolised work through personal mementoes attached delicate crochet net. Organised in a descending from the most joyful to the most depressing my life, the positive tokens are handmade the intimacy associated with the symbolic the depressing memories are only words with negative connotations.

oil paint, synthetic polymer paint, wire, thread and felt

195 x 39 x 5 cm

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

All Saints’ College

memory and and carry our generations. Here, I tokens we symbolised in this attached onto the descending order, depressing aspects of handmade to resemble symbolic item, while words associated

OLIVIA KALIN

Movement of the land, 2022

Kalamunda Senior High School

synthetic polymer paint on canvas

60 x 169 x 2 cm

My artwork is a two-piece painting expressing the transformation of the land. While allowing for free-forming shapes, I also used traditional Central Australian First Nation dot painting techniques and other symbolic markings to create meaning. The flowing brush strokes and bright colours depict the evolving presence of Whadjuk land that was created by the Wagyl. The warm reds symbolise the mountain ranges of Whadjuk land. The bright yellow shapes represent the land below and surroundings. My artwork has been influenced by Dreaming Stories that have been shared by my elders and my personal perspective of the always evolving Whadjuk land.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

EMILY KIM

진주귀걸이를 한 소녀 (Girl with a pearl earring), 2022

oil on canvas 920 x 120 x 4 cm

Throughout my studies in Visual Arts ATAR, I have noticed that historically renowned works of art rarely depict figures that are not of an AngloSaxon background. However, there is a rising encouragement for ethnic representation in the arts. In wanting to contribute to this conversation, my artwork appropriates Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665). I intentionally inserted my Korean identity into an iconic artwork that originally focuses on a Caucasian figure. In this self-portrait, I celebrate and stand proud in my culture by depicting myself wearing hanbok, traditional Korean clothing, and looking into the viewer’s eyes.

Willetton Senior High School

Photo:

ALISON LAM

The Paradox of Choice, 2022

ceramics, wood, fabric 52 x 90 x 41 cm

My artwork explores a phenomenon known as the paradox of choice, where a plethora of options causes overwhelm for the decision-maker. Although we may believe many options makes it easier to choose one that we are happy with, it ironically requires more effort and often still leads to dissatisfaction. This artwork was inspired by a photograph I took in Vienna of a dozen shelves displaying 135 different flavours of jam. Taken aback by my own feelings of anxiety associated with choice and perfectionism, I use ceramic jars to express how something so rudimentary can evoke feelings of chaos and uncertainty.

Methodist Ladies College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

FELIX LAWSON

how times have changed, 2022

Men are told not to be aggressive or docile. We are told not to have an ego but to be confident. It is overwhelming to uphold all the expectations. This video and installation artwork communicates my views on masculinity. The smashed television symbolises my attempt to break the outdated traditional views on masculinity. Each layer of clothing represents the different forms of discipline which have transformed from generation to generation; control, isolation, and violence. While feelings are normal, the lack of space for expression creates a pressure of masculinity which can feel claustrophobic.

video and textile installation 70 x 70 x 70 cm

Mazenod College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

GEORGIA LETTS

Imaginary, 2022

61.0 x 75.0 x 0.2 cm

Escapism is the inclination to pursue distraction from realities, particularly by engaging in fantasy. There is a fine line between our hidden desires and the denial of the demands of everyday life. For some, escapism invites them into a world where they can express themselves free from the constrictions of reality. Others can be tempted to get lost in the addictive fantastical worlds. Through painting and textile, I share insight into my domestic life as well as providing a glimpse into my fantasy worlds that draw me in and pull me away from my mundane obligations. Knowing that these worlds are there for me, just beyond the periphery, gives me reassurance and joy.

Perth College Anglican School for Girls

oil on canvas and textile

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

KIRSTEN MCCORMICK

Safe, 2022

Through self-portrait, my artwork explores the intimacy of nostalgia and comments on the universal experience of yearning to return to childhood. The process of developing this artwork required me to interrogate my own sentimentality and to eventually realise that the objects that held the most meaning were the ones that had accumulated a collective significance from being passed on from my aunts to my mother and finally to me. I was intrigued to communicate the way in which objects shift over time to be vessels for memory, becoming more than just their physical form; they can deliver a feeling of safety.

oil on canvas 79 x 62 x 3 cm

John XXIII College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

THOMAS MACKNAY

Riding Around in Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump, 2022

In this artwork I have captured my childhood memories and imaginations, reflecting the happy sense of nostalgia I feel when looking back. These memories are poignant as I am in the transitional time of my development. Given this, I wanted to use art as a time capsule to preserve these ephemeral memories into something permanent. To begin with, I illustrated my memories to form a storyboard before using them to create a stop-motion animation. The sequence of clips for the animation was chosen to reflect how memories are often disjointed and incoherent.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

MATTHEW MENEZES

This is Australia, 2022

pine wood, oil on board and drawing on paper 40 x 55 x 9 cm

My ethnic heritage is a mix of Portuguese, Indian, Hokian, and Cantonese, but most of all I am an Australian. Like the vast majority, I live in the suburbs. This artwork portrays the interior and exterior settings around my suburban house. The exterior images show household features that are familiar to us all, while the interior images depict cultural objects and practices reflecting the diversity within Australian society. We live in spaces and have anthems that are familiar and unify our identity, but we all have unique histories and backgrounds that make our intimate relationships and private worlds.

Christ Church Grammar

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

WILL MOLDRICH

Urban Camouflage, 2022

My artwork explores the relationship between animals and humans, highlighting our destructive habits against animals and the environment in which they reside. To materialise this relationship, I distorted the form of a deer. As one of the most hunted animals in the world, both directly by hunters and indirectly through our industrial expansion, I found its fragile frame a fitting representation of a victim of humanity. By imagining a world where modern prey would have to hide in an industrially contaminated world in order to survive, I created a sombre piece invoking a sense of empathy for our natural environment.

clay, foam, plywood and synthetic polymer paint 34 x 30 x 37 cm

Mount Lawley Senior High School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

DANIELLA MUKWADA

Love Bombing: Our Sweet Utopia, 2022

My artwork explores the dangerous dynamic that exists in a domestically violent relationship. Out of frustration at the media and society for antagonising women for not leaving abusive situations, I chose to examine this issue from the male point of view. Using visual metaphors and distortions, I have captured the illusions that both the abuser and victims live under. These two paintings depict a narrative suggesting an imbalance of power and suffocating control. I have emphasised the delusions of the honeymoon period and highlighted the obsessive tendencies of abusers who love-bomb and constantly monitor their victims.

Peter Carnley Anglican Community School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

NORA NIKOLIC

Undergrowth, 2022

Nature is an enchanting but vicious world, and it is the unity of these two sides — the alluring surface and the murky, dark underbelly — which serve to reveal its true beauty. It is with this sentiment in mind that I created my piece, aiming to expose and revere the under-appreciated abject darkness of the natural world. Consisting of metal and wax organic forms representing fungi, lichen, and insects, Undergrowth is a visual commentary on the depiction of nature in art and what it means for nature to be considered beautiful.

wax and copper 38 x 38 x 85cm

John Curtin College of the Arts

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

EMER O’BRIEN

The Aftermath, 2022

synthetic polymer paint on board, wire and found objects 60 x 80 x 5 cm

Luke’s College

My artwork was influenced by the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation of the people who suffered around me. Observing surgical masks trapped in wired fences, under rocks, and embedded in the harsh Pilbara soil, deteriorating over time, inspired my commentary behind this artwork. Although society has moved on, this horrific virus still lingers. It lingers, not only through the remains of used masks in our environment but also through the repercussion on humanity.

St

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

OSCAR PALANDRI

Eros, 2022

soy wax, parrafin wax and fragrant oils

82 x 52 x 5 cm

For young males, grooming and styling is a subtle but ever-present ideal. Many men say they do not care about how they look, but we all have a streak of vanity.

My piece is made from fragrant soy paraffin wax moulded into items related to male grooming. The smell and texture of the wax have a soap-like quality, referencing the opulent washing and cleansing of the body. The unifying shape onto which these wax objects are cast is based upon a mirror design, suggesting the work as a place for reflection of one’s own features.

Christ Church Grammar

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

TAYA PRESHAW

Cool Girl, 2022

Ursula Frayne Catholic College

My painting is the antithesis of the ”Cool Girl,” a quality which prioritises male fantasies over the expressions and desires of our own female personalities. To celebrate the unique beauty of all women, I have painted a confident and self-assured South-Asian woman. She wears an eclectic print suit to highlight that she exists solely for herself. Seated in a position of assertion, she looks back calmly at the viewer, challenging the male gaze. Through her steady contemplation, she communicates her refusal to mould her identity to society’s standards, which has often favoured fair skin, blonde hair, and a smiling demeanour.

synthetic polymer paint 1015 x 1220 cm

MOLLY RACCO

Perfectly Imperfect, 2022

At first glance, this piece is flawless. However, the crisp lines represent the facade we fake to mask our imperfections. My artwork comments on our toxic relationship with perfectionism and the unhealthy environment that is created out of fear of being judged or rejected by the unrealistic standards of society. When you look closer at the painting, you can see the imperfections. These slight flaws represent all that we hide so we are not shunned or outcast by our peers. Although the flaws may be insignificant, they dwell on the mind of many who struggle to see past them.

synthetic polymer paint on MDF Wood Panel 2000.0 x 1000.0 x 4.5 cm

Frederick Irwin Anglican School

SETHULI RAJAPAKSE

Hung out to dry, 2022

recycled paper, organza fabric and wood installation 2650 x 44 x 120 cm

This work comments on the significant barriers experienced by immigrants, particularly focusing on the qualifications of many migrants which are invalid in Australia. With consideration to this, I replicated my family’s documents and displayed them in a filing aesthetic, conveying how the rejected qualifications of migrants remain shrouded in dust. Using tea bags and recycled paper, I appropriated personal documentation through a solvent transfer method. Identity from the documentation was redacted through mark-making, embroidery, and shading. The use of tea and thread was symbolic as they have cultural and economic significance to my family’s place of origin, Sri Lanka.

Applecross Senior High School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

SAWDAH RENNIE

The Stranger, 2022

oil on board 60 x 166 x 2 cm

Growing up in Western Australia as a Muslim with an Australian father and Indonesian mother has given me a taste of two very different cultures. While reflecting upon living between the difference, I recall having always felt like a stranger. My artwork is influenced by the experience of estrangement and explores the subject of alienation by those you feel most familiar with. I painted my two cultures on separate boards and positioned the audience in my shoes. While the subjects establish a strong connection with the viewer’s gaze, the judgemental expressions are intended to confront the viewer with feelings of isolation.

Como Secondary College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

LOREN RETTA

Reflections, 2022

oil on wood panel 60 x 90 cm

Reflections comments on the hidden and unseen barriers that isolate and divide the older generations from the younger generations in the modern world.

As progress is driven by technology and scientific advancement, society is becoming less accommodating towards the elderly. This separation is expressed in my artwork by the depiction of my grandmother reflecting upon her life experiences. I created a reflected and blurred effect on the transparent glass door to symbolise the separation from the world experienced by the elderly. In highlighting this isolation, I urge people to embrace and appreciate the differences and diversity intergenerational relationships can provide.

Catholic College

Seton

MAX ROHR

Isolation Paradise, 2022

Most West Australians were able to enjoy everyday activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Being the most isolated city in the world, Perth did not suffer nor fear the virus in the same way it devastated the rest of the world. This freedom was a magnet to many and the inspiration for this artwork. Playing with the illusion between photography and painting, this artwork depicts the “new normal” of our lives. I wanted to create a scene that was energetic and fun, reflecting my peers in the context of the pandemic, as we stayed happily trapped in our Isolation Paradise.

Christ Church Grammar

synthetic polymer paint and photographic print 64.5 x 101.5 x 3.0 cm

CODY RYALL

Iteration, 2022

oil on board, paper, perspex, printed photograph, iPad 30 x 30 x 3 cm

My artwork explores the untapped potential of mathematics, digital mediums, and their impact on art ownership in a digital age.

The original artwork was created by inputting a sequence of mathematical steps into computer software, which was then selectively altered to create a dynamic abstraction.

The original image’s raw computer data has been displayed to demonstrate the sheer volume of information that modern images contain. The paper functions as a sculptural form, questioning how we represent non-traditional forms of art.

Lastly, I developed a website and interactive iPad display to invite the viewer to be a collaborative maker of the artwork.

St Stephen’s School

Photo:

Tradition and Hopeless Romantic, 2022

These paintings are a personal investigation on arranged marriages in South Asian culture. To convey the conflicting views towards marriage, I have depicted an obscured subject whose expression is unreadable. The smaller painting is a self-portrait, where I depict myself wearing my prized lehenga choli while rejecting the pressures of an arranged marriage. The placement of one canvas in front of the other acknowledges my progression of opinion over time as I build the confidence to shape my own future.

This artwork acknowledges what I have gained from this investigation – a confidence to shape my own future respectfully.

oil on canvas 120 x 95 x 2.5 cm

Duncraig Senior High School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

INDIA SEYMOUR-EYLES

The things you leave behind, 2022

My artwork reflects on what is left behind when someone passes away and how the memories that attach to their belongings transform material into something sacred. I have chosen to explore the emotions attached to death and memory as I process my dad’s passing last year due to his mental health. The growing darkness across both paintings and silhouetted figure depict my dad’s suffering which has now been passed onto his loved ones. The objects that made him happy are captured in the soft angelic light, translating how the joy he brought can now only be found in his possessions.

oil on wood 90 x 136 cm

Seton Catholic College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

KYLIE SIMONS

She is (not) simply meat, 2022

I intend for my artwork to provoke taboo conversations surrounding the purpose, use, and appearance of the female body. My experimentation of body horror was inspired by Susan Bordo’s essay Reading the Male Body where she suggests “she is simply meat.”

Drawing influence from Germaine Greer’s book titled Female Eunuch which theorises the dominance of the male gaze devitalises women, I explore concepts such as coping with contraceptive medication, fetishisation, and biased expectations. By turning the fleshy, latexcast bodices into a seductive yet revolting protective outerwear, my artwork teases the audience with an erotic female figure disguised by unsettling garments.

latex rubber, textile, recycled wig and photographs on foamcore 42 x 34 x 25 cm

Applecross Senior High School

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

AMBERLEY SOW

Concrete Culture, 2022

cast concrete, plastic, metal and powdered pigment installation 40 x 50 x 14 cm

Applecross Senior High School

This artwork comments on cultural appropriation and the ways in which culturally significant objects and practices are transformed into consumable wellness experiences. In mimicking how large corporations appropriate and sell ideas, my intention was to prompt viewers to consider their role in the cycle of consumption. Consisting of DIY Zen Garden kits and a range of bespoke Asian delicacies, packaged and ready for purchase, this cheap and easily reproducible material is stripped from cultural significance and barely resembles the objects they are sold as.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

MILES TAWNS

No Holds Barre, 2022

charcoal on paper and video 90 x 190 x 3 cm

Perth Modern School

I have been immersed in dance from an early age and wholly believe it is a universal human trait that, regardless of ability, positively affects our lives. The dancing in the video captures the blissful experience of uninhibited dance, be that in a bedroom, rave or on stage. Whilst performing, my hands and feet were covered in charcoal and impressed upon the paper I danced upon. The traces from my movements formed the basis of the charcoal drawings which now depict stills of myself dancing. Various manipulations were made to the video that reflect the all-consuming and ecstatic experience of dance.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

OLIVERA TOPUZOVIC

Your Commercialised Life, 2022

Applecross Senior High School

My artwork reflects upon the fear that our actions are constantly being monitored and commercialised. Through the creation of an interactive game, I demonstrate how modern technology’s ability to advertise is now more prevalent than ever. Every action the player selects has an impact on the advertisement they receive, creating a targeted and personalised experience.

The animated advertisements in the game reference the style of the Pop-Art movement, which reacted to an era which saw consumer booms and the commercialisation of art. These recreations are drawn to reflect modern products, while the use of animation comments on how technology has been used in evolution of advertising.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

CINDY WANG

colour pencil on paper 146 x 107 cm

Applecross Senior High School

This artwork depicts my ever-changing relationship with my mother. The right panel captures the isolation of my mother and the distance growing between us as I mature. I intended to enact a cyclical movement through the diptych, alluding to the generations in the life cycle. This movement indicates that through all the misconceptions and transitions, we are still connected as family. Through a process of layering pencil with soft gestural marks, slowly, a tender and comforting presence is constructed. This simple and basic medium is also a reflection of the often overlooked maternal love, which I now hold with gratitude.

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

JADE WATSON

A Politician’s Promise, 2022

A recent announcement made by the state government promises to save the remaining habitat of many endemic species and end native forest logging from 2024. This historical decision by Mark McGowan will enable forests to grow back, albeit changed, and thrive for future generations. Inspired by the beauty of the natural environment in Western Australia, I feel that it is extremely important to conserve our world. This artwork emphasises the importance of protecting our landscape instead of profiting from its destruction. Healthy ecosystems clean our water, purify our air, maintain soil nutrients, regulate the climate, and provide us with food.

oil and spray paint, textile, tape and copper on canvas 136 x 185 x 3 cm

Iona Presentation College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

CLAUDIA WERCH

Should We Be Smiling?, 2022

pencil on paper and perspex 86 x 132 cm

Should we be smiling? portrays my mum smiling, despite being thrust in front of the camera by her male teacher. The clenched hand on her arm is juxtaposed against her innocent smile, making us question the effect of gender inequality and how it continues to dictate our behaviours in society. My artwork interrogates the traditional ideas about gender, specifically looking at the expectations placed on women to obediently accept the authority of men. In revealing the normalcy of being taught to keep smiling through the uncomfortable behaviours of men, my intention was to speak out against the silencing of women.

Corpus Christi College

Photo: Rebecca Mansell

CHARLOTTE WILLIAMS

Are we there yet? Can we go back?

Presbyterian Ladies College

In my experience, children are maturing earlier and leaving behind the carefree attitudes of childhood. As such, many adolescents have a strong desire to be able to shun the responsibilities of maturity and embrace the innocence of a childhood that has been discarded too quickly. This is reflected in my use of oil paint, a traditional media, that has been embellished with coloured pencil, a more modern media associated with children’s art. In my self-portrait, my facial expression depicts a feeling of disbelief and horror, asking “is it too late for me?” whilst already surrounding myself with objects from my childhood.

oil paint and coloured pencil on paper 60 x 48 x 2 cm

(Bunny, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Juvenescence anymore), 2022