Students from across Queensland and the Northern Territory have wowed judges after creating artworks reflecting on their ‘Perfect Places’ for our union’s annual Excellence in Art Design Awards.
The Awards have been a welcome event, after this year has thrown the education sector – and the Australian community – upside down with the global COVID- 19 pandemic.
You can view photographs of the winning entries below.
IEUA-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke said this year’s artworks were an outstanding display of student talent and highlight art as an essential part of education.
“We had record numbers of entries this year which reflects on how important art is for the community in challenging times,” Mr Burke said.
“Our union is proud to support students, teachers and practicing artists in Queensland and the Northern Territory.”
Video highlights
Harriet Hunter Memorial Award
Lieze Mulder from Westside Christian College took out the top honour of the Harriet Hunter Memorial Award which was established in memory of a gifted student whose life was tragically taken in the 1999 South-East Queensland floods.
This year was made all the more special with special guest Adrian Hunter – who is Harriet’s father and a long-time IEU member and secondary art teacher – judging the Memorial Award.
Adrian said that Lieze’s use of naturally found materials is not only resourceful but also relevant to the topic of ‘place’.
“Lieze’s process of applying collage and paint, with excellent control of colour and detail has been sensitively handled,” Adrian said.
“The overall effect, including its three-dimensional quality, conveys significant meaning with respect to the value of water.”
Indigenous Award
Banjo Short of Seton College won the Indigenous Art category which takes entries from students in Years 5-12.
Category judge Robert Cobb said that Banjo’s work is a beautifully constructed statement about a space he is very familiar with as well as a statement about Indigenous learning contexts, both past and present.
“There is a great juxtaposition between his use of cultural symbols to identify traditional learning spaces and those used to represent his contemporary learning setting,” Robert said.
“The portrayal of his school in aerial perspective also resonates with the traditional depictions of an intimate connection to place, as has been expressed through Indigenous works before and since colonisation.
“Banjo’s use of the elements of line, colour and pattern, and texture have been combined make this work a standout.”
Our union’s annual Excellence in Art Design Awards were established in 1994 to promote and encourage artistic students.
Full winners’ list
Click here to download a full list of Award recipients.
