National Gallery of Victoria Launches StArt Up Art Exhibition Today

By: Mar. 19, 2015
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From a self-portrait constructed with Rubik's cubes to a film-projecting bicycle, thought- provoking works by forty-two of Victoria's top VCE Art and Studio Arts students will be on show at the National Gallery of Victoria's StArt Up: Top Arts 2015 exhibition, opening today 19 March 2015.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of Top Arts - an exhibition that celebrates individual excellence, highlights the strengths of art education in Victoria and offers a glimpse into the future of Australian contemporary art.

Utilising traditional and new media, the selected works were chosen from close to 3000 submissions and consider a variety of themes including our relationship with nature, exploration of personal identity and gender politics.

Martin Foley MP, Minister for Creative Industries said, 'StArt Up: Top Arts 2015 puts the incredible creative talent of Victorian students on show. At 21 we traditionally get the key to the world, and this 21st anniversary exhibition provides us with a glimpse into the world of Victoria's young people - their concerns, experiences, ideas and creativity. It is a stunning survey of contemporary works which shows that there is a bright future

ahead for our creative industries.'

Kate Fitzgerald of Swinburne Senior Secondary College illustrates the experiences of people living with mental illness in her double-sided embroidered portraits, while Anna Dewar of Methodist Ladies' College captures the power of nature in her emotive photographs of an electrical summer storm.

Tony Ellwood, Director, NGV, said 'Each student has engaged with a high level of conceptual thinking and artistic technique to develop these pieces, and we'd like to thank the teachers who've supported and fostered their artistic development thus far.'

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'The outstanding talent that is represented in Top Arts paints a very confident picture for the future of Australian contemporary art,' said Mr Ellwood.

The exhibiting students represent a range of government, independent and Catholic schools in Victoria's metropolitan and regional areas, including Gil McKenzie, of Charlton College in Victoria's North-Central region, who has used his natural environment to inspire his work, carving the contours of his local landscape into preloved books.

This year will also welcome the return of the People's Choice Award, supported in 2015 by the Macquarie Group. The winner of the award will be determined by votes cast on-site at the NGV.

StArt Up: Top Arts 2015 is part of the VCE Season of Excellence, which includes Top Screens, Top Class, Top Designs and Top Acts. Interactive talks and folio viewings are available for school bookings as part of NGV's Education program.

StArt Up: Top Arts 2015 will be on display at the NGV Studio, Federation Square from 19 March - 28 June 2015, open 10am-5pm, Tues-Sun. Admission is free.




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