ArtRage 2011, a touring exhibition presented by the

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston

Curated by Dr Moira G Simpson, Visual Art and Design Education Officer QVMAG

Exhibition schedule

The QVMAG's Art Gallery at Royal Park

2 Wellington Street,

Launceston, 17 December 2011 to 11 March 2012

Plimsoll Gallery

Tasmanian School of Art

University of Tasmania

Hobart

21 April to 13 May 2012

Burnie Regional Art Gallery

Burnie Arts and Function Centre

Wilmot Street

Burnie

9 June to 5 August 2012

Disclaimer

All artwork featured in this presentation are copyright to their respective owners and are presented here as a part of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) Art Rage annual exhibition.

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Anna Abela, Guilford Young College

Untitled - photograph

Louise Aberle, Hobart College

Joseph is a Musician (top rightt) Paul is a Thief (bottom right) Andrew is a Youth Worker (top left) Aneeta is a Politician (bottom left)

Jesse Austin, Elizabeth College

‘White-Washed Wall’ Cycle, Prints No. 1, No. 2, No. 6 and No. 8

Dry-point prints

Artist's statement

Throughout the year, I have produced a cycle of prints that pay the due respect and subsequent remembrance, to the

'faceless' soldiers and civilians who have fought and passed during the Vietnamese (and East-Asian) conflicts

between 1955-75. My work attempts to document the degradation of the 'rookie' soldier's identity and psyche; which is

a phenomenon inherent of the Vietnam War and a protocol utilized by the American armed forces and state. I have

manipulated the plates in such away to intentionally and emotively obscure the figures through selected expressive

wiping techniques; [so] as to evoke the sense of [the] dehumanization process and the 'pawn'-like qualities that the

'soldier' possesses.

Alyce Bailey, Launceston College --- Examiners’ Choice for Art Studio Practice

Feign ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Craven ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Ornery ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Ceder ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Self-portrait ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Forlorn ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Vagrant ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Beseech ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Obsolete ink, pen and watercolour on canvas

Artist’s Statement

The Changelings

“People believe I am what they see Me as, rather than what they do not see. But I am the Great Unseen, not what I

cause Myself to be in any particular moment. In a sense, I am what I am not. It is from the Am-notness that I come,

and to it I always return.”

-Neale Donald Walsch.

Character is what we are unobserved. My work represents that which cannot be seen openly by others, the

weaknesses that make us human. It is by removing ourselves from the formed ideals, expectations and judgements of

others that we can truly see who and what we have become. It is through the courage of accepting of our inner

demons that we can start to overcome them.

Isabella Perkett, Launceston Christian School

Oddities Ink, paint on board

Oddities Ink, paint on board

Lydia Birch, Friends’ School

Studies Ink and watercolour

Studies Ink and watercolour

Untitled ink and watercolour

Claire Bramich, Launceston Church Grammar School

Thoughts for Elise mixed media

Eva Cornelisse, Don College

Dad acrylic on paper

Nakey Gnome Acrylic on paper

Expressions permanent marker on fabric

Expressions permanent marker on fabric

Anita Corrigan, Friends’ School

Among the Gum Trees stoneware clay 5B, stoneware glazes, gravel

Amelia Digney, Launceston College

Miss - Interpretation coloured pencil on paper

Ratweed coloured pencil on paper

Vermination coloured pencil on paper

Artist's statement

My folio of work has been based around the idea of a shared existence. This shared existence belongs to both animal

and plant life. Animals and people alike rely on Oxygen, among other atmospheric gases, in order to breathe and live.

Plants produce this important gas and in return animals and people breathe out Carbon-Dioxide (a gas tat plants

absorb and replace with Oxygen). This is a perfect cycle of life that I have found to be quite beautiful and inspiring.

Therefore I have based my folio around the idea of creating life forms that are both animal and plant, thus combining

two things that rely on one another and expressing the close bond between them by representing then as a shared

body. This representation allows one to see into the bond and realize how fragile it is. If either the animal or plant

component of the life forms were to be removed, the existence of the other would simply die. This representation is

relevant to today's modern society because it expresses the issue of our fragile environment and the bond that we

share with it. Without plants animals and people would cease to exist and vice-versa.

Drew Dixon, Elizabeth College

Self-portrait 1 digital print

Self-portrait 2 digital print

My Linh Mac Doan, St Michael's College

The Ongoing altered book, paper Artists Statement My Linh Mac Doan is a Vietnamese student who used drawings and sculptures of buildings and architectural features to symbolise three periods in the recent history of Vietnam. The Earlier Period of the 1970s was when 'people were bound and controlled by strict rules, traditions and even religious beliefs'. The second period - the On-going - in the late 1980s, was when education began to facilitate social, intellectual and political change. The third period, The Later, is the present and future, a time when education and communications technologies enable much greater access to information

This piece contains books which represent knowledge and exploration, and … form a sculpture of [a] building's

pattern. The books symbolise the bricks that made the solid walls of the building… There is a little more sense of

freedom within this piece as the books were not glued … These emphasise [that] during this era, through learning and

discovering, people opened their minds to more possibilities…. In some of the books, pages are loose and fall off,

which represents some of the rules that were actually banned and therefore there is more freedom shown in this era."

Naomi Doedens, Rosny College

Untitled acrylic paint on canvas

Artist's statement

In today’s society women strive to be independent and to not be the woman that society tells them to be. For years the

media has used imagery to create an image of promiscuity and confidence. In my art I want to explore this concept

and to challenge the pristine perfection illustrated in the media, to instead replace it with the raw emotions that are

often lingering beneath; the intensity and the emptiness, the isolation and the fragility, and more importantly the

vulnerability. The white emptiness, the dripping paint and the intensity of their stares and the imperfect lines, to let the

audience see but never fully understand. To paint the faces of these women but allow the paint to damage them to

reveal their complexities and all that is hidden beneath.

Lucas Durante, Launceston Church Grammar School

Artist's statement The different aqueous formations and patterns of water, within lakes, rivers, the sea and waves, influence me greatly. Rather than simply illustrate or represent this natural aesthetic beauty through traditional means, however, I've tried to recreate them through the action of the paint itself. In my work there is movement, force and texture itself, not just the imitation of movement, force and texture. Real weight and gravity is at work on the inks, water-based and oil-based varnishes I employ. To enhance the movement and pattern at work the colour is minimal, restricted to a tonal range of deep and rich blues.

Untitled ink, oil and water-based varnishes on board

Demi Forrest, Hellyer College

Confined Freedom I Digital print

Confined Freedom II Digital print

Till Gallagher, Rosny College

Untitled ink, acrylic paint, varnish

Artist's Statement

My work explores whimsical ideas derived from spontaneous childhood memories (books, events, songs, etc.) and

also my fascination with elements of Nature. The work can be described as the representation of a personal inner

sanctuary of colour, shape and movement.

The use of black geometric and organic shapes contrasted against the crisp, coloured shards is an effect which

generates energy and movement and reflects my interest in street art.

Tim Gibbons, Elizabeth College

Falling Goblet digital print

Siobhan Graham. Scotch Oakburn

Ghost Chips

Hey Mr Harper (lower)

Peter Graver, Hutchins School

Untitled graphite on paper

Caitlin graphite on paper

Gabby Reardon, St Mary’s College

Distorted Reflections 1 and 2, colour photographs

Kevin Hetebry, Rosny College

The Forest's Surface A-V digital media, digital prints

Artist's Statement

My concept is around the idea of humans and nature belonging to each other. We first evolved as humans from nature

and belonged to our landscape. All creatures of life come from one source and eternally remain connected, therefore

all humans belong to nature. Once the awareness of the belonging to nature is realised, we open our eyes to reflect

on the importance of our own environments. We depend on nature and how it provides for us; without it we cannot

survive. Nature also lives off us; without people nature does not have a purpose. Through this belonging there is an

unbreakable bond between humans and nature.

Matilda Holstein, Hobart College

Star Runner digital print, illustration for a book of stories entitled Chasing Firestars

Promise of The Pied Piper digital print, illustration for a book of stories entitled Chasing Firestars

Leaving Earth digital print, illustration for a book of stories entitled Chasing Firestars

In The Tower digital print, illustration for a book of stories entitled Chasing Firestars

Artist’s Statement

Chasing Firestars (A series of stories written and illustrated by Matilda)

Every night as children, when we got to sleep, our beloved bear snug in our embrace we dream. Our mind wanders to

fairytales of heroic knights and fire breathing dragons; of princesses and unicorns with castles in the sky. And

sometimes we dream of nightmares and monsters in our closet.

My artwork is intended to capture and portray the innocence and imagination that is childhood. From the everyday

things of a child’s life, like bickering with our siblings or playing in the rain, to fairytales and things we always dreamed

about, like floating to the stars, stories of unicorns, bunnies on the moon, snowmen that came to life and pied pipers

that led children away. All these things brought adventure and delight to our otherwise plain lives. They are the fond

memories we keep as we grow up and look back upon our early life. They are the things that when we are old and

grey, tucked up in our chairs, we tell our children and grandchildren about. They are the special things that make our

childhood, the reason we believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy so whole heartedly. Childhood

innocence is the conjuring of imagination and the painting of magic and colour in this world, of being blind to reality

and escaping to a world of Chasing Firestars.

All of my images are based on my own stories and fairytales. I hand drew all of the characters and backgrounds then

enhanced them through digital painting on Photoshop.

Grace Jensen, Friends’ School

Timekeeper

Sleep Turning Impulse (above upper)

Beneath the Water (above middle) Release (above lower)

Georgia Johnston, Fahan School

Untitled 1 Untitled 2

Zoey Lee, Don College

Untitled

Clay and Paint

Hope Lockyer, Rosny College

Days Better Spent digital print

Within the Tide of the Forgotten digital print

Artist's statement

This body of digital artwork is based around three main concepts, Memento mori, Time and Memories. Memento mori

or ‘Remember your mortality’ is meant as a small reminder to not forget that life is precious beautiful and most

importantly, fleeting. I have incorporated darker tones and shadows throughout my work so that the element of decay

and death is not as obvious as skulls and bones to avoid being clichéd and predictable.

The second major idea within my artwork is the concept of time. I have incorporated a more abstract and surreal

element to these images. Instead of using landscapes and scenery-style shots, I have chosen to use different

surfaces and textures to convey the effect of elements over time and how each surface weathers differently.

The last concept I have incorporated, is the idea of human memories. I have chosen to resemble this by using older

family photos and objects. For example, I have incorporated images of my great grandmother’s clock and the first

watch I can remember my dad ever wearing. By doing this I have linked my childhood, present family and the

uncertainness of tomorrow.

Caitlin Lowe, Newstead College

Deception of Beauty mixed media: styrofoam, plasticine, clay, fabric, paper, acrylic paint, gouache

Deception of Beauty mixed media: styrofoam, plasticine, clay, fabric, paper, acrylic paint, gouache

Clare Mangan, Guilford Young College

Organic Anatomy I, II and III photographs

Georgiy Margvelashvili, Hutchins School / Fahan School

Bender acrylic painting on canvas with oil-based glaze

Hirundo Virtus acrylic painting on canvas with oil-based glaze

The Requiem (upper set of 4) Acrylic painting on canvas with oil-based glaze

Cheshire Shackles acrylic painting on canvas with oil-based glaze

Regrets acrylic painting on canvas with oil-based glaze

The Voice of Reason (lower right) Old Times (lower left)

Dregs acrylic painting on canvas with oil-based glaze

Artist's statement

My works this year focus on imagination and influence and the various connections between the two, particularly the

impacts of each on the other. This led to the development of several lesser themes such as the impact of decisions,

the importance of virtue and the freedom of the mind. I primarily focused on using symbolism to convey the various

messages, using both more personal symbols, such as the Cossack, and those which are widely accepted, such as

the swallow and the crow.

Bender

Fictional characters can have a significant impact on the development of a personality. We aspire to have the often

exaggerated virtues they possess and through this adopt a fraction of their nature. This piece is about the influence

which these characters can have and about the role our imagination plays when attempting to adapt these elements of

their nature to the real world.

Dregs

The crow is a representation of the dominance of negative influences in the modern world and therefore the darker

more morbid elements of the human mind, whereas the swallow represents older traditional virtues and brighter and

purer parts of the mind (the work is symbolic for the conflict of influence on a societal level as well as within the mind).

In Ukraine, the Cossack is a symbol of freedom and therefore here he represents the power that is instilled in us to

decide which influences we would adhere to, the freedom to choose.

This piece attempts to convey the way in which our imagination can overcome physical boundaries and also attempts

to highlight the importance of having a free, unconstrained mind. The Cossack represents mental freedom.

The Requiem

The bandura (stringed instrument) in this piece is used as a symbol for all forms of self-expression in general, and the

piece is a visualisation of how self expression can remove us from the hardships of reality. The cross represents how

clinging to beliefs and principles as well as to basic religious values can ease these hardships. The darker swallow is

a representation of the false, or damaging ways with which we can temporarily achieve the same (e.g. drugs alcohol)

Regrets

Succumbing to the wrong influences can lead us to making actions which our conscience will torment us for in the

future. This work is an attempt to capture these feelings of guilt. It also has a degree of historical meaning as the

statue is the memorial of the Holodomor (artificial famine created in Ukraine by the Soviets) and the red man can be

seen as a symbol for the USSR.

The Voice of Reason

This piece is about making the distinction between right and wrong and placing morality and principle over

convenience. The swallow is a representation of our inner moral compass, the part of us which encourages us to be

morally sound and guilt free. Named after a short story by the author Andrej Sapkowski.

Old Times

This piece focuses on memory and the way that, similarly to our imagination, it separates us from the world. It

attempts to highlight the importance of leading a good life, so as not to let hate and guilt consume your mind.

Hirundo Virtus

This work highlights the importance of cultivating positive qualities within yourself, of which the swallows are symbolic.

The size of the baby swallow is disproportionate to that of the adults and this indicates that retaining your inner child is

of greater importance than maintaining other virtues (suggesting that natural childish qualities, kindness, curiosity,

unconditional love and the ability to stay unabashed are of greater value than, for instance, perseverance or

politeness).

Samuel McQueen, Hellyer College

Psycho digital print, artwork for an illustrated book cover

The Birds digital print, artwork for an illustrated book cover

To Catch a Thief digital print, art work for an illustrated book cover

Taylor Medwin, Hellyer College

Innocence Lost digital print

House of Straw digital print

Final Resting Place digital print

Kerralee Orr, Elizabeth College

Traveller Zhongguo digital print

Ellie-Kate Schofield, St Mary’s College

View of Light

Set of six photographs

Lone Schramm, Don College

Mum

Acrylic on paper

Michelle Smith, Launceston College.

Housing mixed media: acrylic, oil, charcoal, pastel, shellac on canvas

Vegan mixed media: acrylic, oil, charcoal, pastel, shellac on canvas

Artist's Statement

My work explores the relationship between humankind and its impact on the environment, to create awareness in my

subconscious being and to promote to the general public the urgency with which we must address climate change.

With influences such as Herakut and Raymond Arnold, new combinations are created with both explicit and implicit

layers.

I have always been concerned by the scientific limits of the planet that we live in. We are bleeding the earth dry of its

resources and in return we are polluting the atmosphere. Most people are unaware of the impact that they have on the

environment. My artwork acts as somewhat of a billboard with an urgent message to enhance awareness of just how

easy it is to reduce your carbon footprint.

The artwork will leave the viewer with a true but ugly insight into the fragility of the edges of our world as they look

through the window......

Annie Swanton, Hobart College

Untitled, digital prints

Dane Tiffin, Launceston College. Mission Abort posters

Mission Abort I Mission Abort III

Kaityln Ulberg, Elizabeth College

Untitled Digital Print

Ellie Menzani, Hellyer College

Untitled

Photograph

Amy Courto, Don College

Self portrait

Oil on Canvas

Gabreal Wake, Fahan School

Untitled Still from a digital audio-visual

Untitled Still from a digital audio-visual

Untitled Still from a digital audio-visual

Dayelle Walters, Launceston Christian School

Beauty in Decay paint, shellac, ink, charcoal Dustin Watson, Hutchins School

Untitled, lino print Untitled impressed paper

Untitled, lino print

Mary Webster, Elizabeth College

Childhood Fear four digital prints

Woo Won Na. Launceston Church Grammar School

Untitled graphite, markers and watercolour paints on watercolour paper

Via Life graphite, markers and watercolour paints on watercolour paper

Artist's statement

Illustrations are fascinating form of art with striking visuals, creating a whole new world in front of the viewer. Strongly

influenced by my love for illustration and appreciation of the Japanese comic / cartoon style the drawings I work on all

contain the element of nature surrounding one or more characters. Each of my illustrations, in its own little world, has

a story which can be a childish tale or something with deeper meaning. The use of bright, child-like colours in my

drawings gives the sense of a naïve and simplistic mind in a cartoon style, and adds an element of humour.

… I feel that plants must be included in all of my illustrations as they add humour and pure child-like elements. I find it

enjoyable to imagine how I could manipulate nature around people. I have fun making nature fit the drawings and

enjoy seeing the natural elements merge with my random ideas.

Tyler Wood, Elizabeth College

The Cult digital print

Ashley Young, Hobart College

Orestes

Artist's statement

"Through history, gender inequality has affected the way the body has been seen and perceived. In my body of work

this year, I strove to acknowledge this and yet to not perpetuate any form or facet of gender inequality … I wanted to

express an internal contention between masculinity and femininity through the human figure … I attempted to express

this contention be evoking a feeling of tension and malaise in the body, while simultaneously emphasising the

sensuality of the body.

"My series of paintings aims to simultaneously create the sense of power and vulnerability. I paint the figure as a

means of expressing ideas and emotion as wella s painting the figure to express the relationship between the self and

society. I study the division that gender imposes on society and how this inhibits our connection with ourselves and

others. I investigate how a contorted view of sexuality and gender can impact on an individual and, on a larger scale,

society. The works allude to characters and relationships in art, literature, religion, mythology and history.

"…I reference stories, such as the folk story of Bluebeard's Egg and Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch's Venus in Furs. I

reference biblical stories, such as Samson and Delilah, Salome, Judith and Holofernes, and Abraham and Isaac. I

reference artworks by artists such as Caravaggio, Hans Holbein and Velázquez. I reference mythology such as

ancient Greek myth of The Furies. The references in my work link in to ideas and emotions expressed in these works,

effectively layering my work with additional ideas and emotions.

"I explored an alternate artistic path of painting close up human faces. I painted this more expressionistically and with

a greater abstraction of colour. In the end, however, I decided to focus my art on the body rather than the face. I felt

that this was a more efficient and effective way to express the ideas and emotions I wanted to convey. I used an

artistic style that linked my painting more with Baroque painting than 20th century Expressionism. I felt the drama of

the Tenebrist style greater expressed the ideas and emotions I aimed for, as well as linking my art in with the history

of depictions of the body."

Jade Young, Hobart College

The Mystery colour photographs to accompany song The Mystery (upper) Blue Robin colour photographs to accompany song Blue Robin (lower)

Translations – Inside-out Audio-visual – images and songs Blue Robbin and The Mystery

Artist's Statement

There is often quite a paradox between what people feel and what people express. The way the Western society is

currently shaped has made it very easy to become caught up in a more superficial and materialistic world. Deeper

realities are easily ignored due to this concentration on the external and when the focus is on the action rather than

the intention, I feel a deep sadness and longing for change.

The often strange order of priorities in society, from the governments to myself, has planted in me a strong motivation

to explore why it is our priorities are this way and why it is that we don’t always accurately reflect how we are thinking

and feeling. What would we see if we could turn things inside out?

Music has the capacity to bring to surface different moods in people. It seems to have a contagious power that often

synchronises one’s mood with the mood of the song. Music can transport you to higher and lower states of being as

well as triggering different memories in you. Imagery is also a very powerful medium for inspiring new thoughts and

feelings in people. One image can communicate what words could take pages to relate. Imagery is perfect for

expressing ideas with clarity, subtlety or impact. Lyrics usually use more time to communicate ideas but can

communicate them with greater definition and understanding.

‘Translations – Inside-Out’ is my attempt to translate through different forms of art, the heartfelt feelings that come to

me when I perform these songs. My goal is to create an art exhibition that combines these three, powerful mediums of

art; photography, music and poetry. I recorded two songs that I’d written and planned photo shoots to translate the

feeling, mood and lyric of the songs in order to enhance their experiential impact. The recordings feature Marisa

Somssich on violin, back-up singing and whistling, Hugh Foley on banjo, Paul Goodwin on bass guitar and Joe

Atkinson on drums.

‘Blue Robin’ is about the liberation that is felt when you let yourself love unconditionally. It touches on the human

condition.

„The Mystery‟ isn’t so much a search for answers but more, an acknowledgement of the limit of my understanding and

an expression of gratitude for the life that I am part of.

Miranda Yovich, Hellyer College

Nymphamphetamine I charcoal on paper

Nymphamphetamine II charcoal on paper