Paean Sarkar An Illustration of the process of Cultural Assimilation 2018 Video (00:01:43) QUT
In the performance piece, I attempt to hold my body in a particular position for the duration of about 2 minutes. Throughout the duration of the performance, there can be seen a gradual loosening of my posture, as my strength is challenged by gravity. As my posture loosens very slowly, the drastic change is not easily identified upon first viewing of the video. It mimics the experience of individuals assimilating into a new culture. The process is similar to ageing, in the sense that the change is not noticeable in the daily, but after a long period of time, it is very obvious.
Than Maung Urban Girl 2020 Graphite and Ink on Paper 2 x 42cm x 30cm MacGregor State High School
My interest and passion is for dark imagery. This diptych is about a girl in the city at night. I wanted to show her strength and beauty.
Daniela Herrera Guerra Meaningful to One, Meaningless to Another 2020 Graphite and Charcoal 60 X 83.5 cm Citipointe Christian College
When my sister was diagnosed with osteosarcoma my world was turned up-side down. I found myself trying to make understanding of the situation. My friend Madi was a source of great support. I was broken, and she would often ask if I was okay. As I confided in her I realized she would never truly grasp the depth of what I was personally going through. Regardless, she was there. This work is a fusion of the both my grief in self-portrait, fused with homage to my friend; with whom I placed immense trust. It’s a celebration of the complex nature of friendships and the struggle to maintain friendships.
Matthew Schoutrop Conductor 2019 Balloons, LeatherJacket, Air Conditioning Duct, Record, Aluminium Foil and Duct Tape 190cm x 190cm Wearable Suit St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace
Conductor is silent. It absorbs and directs energy. The vessel works as a device to direct heat, electricity, light and sound to profile the frequency of the world around it. It leads, inspires, suggests and requests; but ultimately Conductor has no way of being heard. Like an orchestral conductor, the record at the head of the vessel cannot make noise without assistance. This singular piece contrasts the constant repetition and visual noise of the semi-inflated balloons . It acts as a dynamic code to represent the beat and tempo. The vessel draws inspiration from the protest "Soundsuits" of Nick Cave- vessels that blur gender, race, class and challenges you to look at the work without judgement. Conductor does not work to repel opinion, instead it works to absorb acceptance, bringing the wearer a wealth of confidence. It is the algorithm for confidence and acceptance.
Sasha Storer The Ants Go Marching 2020 Film 1.27 minutes Mary MacKillop College
I lament that our current society is fragmented by misunderstanding and misinformation regarding climate justice. My quest to advocate for this urgent global crisis dictates the visual directives and context of my film. In the film my central idea is communicated by the ripple effect of water when it is disrupted. Furthermore, the extended metaphor is eluded to in the title, “The Ants Go Marching”, which is symbolic of the united force observed in ants. This relationship is personified through interlacing parallels with the collective protests I participate in as an activist in Extinction Rebellion. By layering the protest group within the gentle confines of nature the audience is captured with an alternative perception of civil disruption.
Sophie Gibson Blindspot 2020 Acrylic, gouache and PVA glue on wood panel, with 3 photographic prints 22.9 x 30.5 x 2.3 cm wood panel, with 3 photographs (8.9 x 12.8cm) QUT
Blindspot is a mixed media work exploring the interaction of memory and photography. The right-hand-side photos are recordings of the stages of the panel, which began as a depiction of photographs from my childhood, layered atop each other interfering with the harmony of the prior composition. The final stage of the panel is presented in physical form, as a primarily white, textured abstraction, with each rise and divot showing hints of the prior layers below. The extent of the process undergone to create the final piece is only available to the viewer via small and indistinct photographs - a symbolic parallel to my own understanding of the events depicted in the original photographs I was inspired by.