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Big crowd celebrates young artists’ work

May 25, 2005

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A crowd of about 250 people attended the opening of an exhibition in Armidale that celebrates the talent of young artists from schools in regional NSW.

The exhibition of finalists in The University of New England School Acquisitive Art Prize opened at the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) on Friday evening [20 May].

The Dean of UNE's Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies, Professor Victor Minichiello, officially opened the exhibition and spoke for everyone when he said: "We as a community are very proud of the work displayed here."

In explaining the origins and purpose of the Art Prize, now in its second year, Professor Minichiello said it was, among other things, a means of "connecting the University to the community". The Director of NERAM, Dr Janice Lally, in welcoming the crowd and the young artists themselves, spoke about the Museum's role in this process, saying: "This exhibition is an indicator of the value of the Museum to the community."

A panel of experts, including local artist Fay Porter, judged the 316 entries, and selected the 65 finalists to be included in the "Let's Hang It" exhibition. The organising committee for the Art Prize, consisting of staff from UNE's School of Education, then framed and hung the finalists' entries. Professor Minichiello said the entries had come from 30 schools throughout NSW north of Sydney. "Everyone who has entered is a 'winner', " he said, "and has made an important contribution to this event."

During the opening ceremony the winners of the three categories were announced. They are: Joshua Russell from William Cowper Anglican College, Tamworth (Primary category); Shoshannah Zettel from Armidale High School (Junior Secondary category); Lauren Meredith from Armidale High School (Senior category). Professor Minichiello presented the three winners with cheques for $100, $200 and $300 respectively. Members of the audience voted for a "People's Choice" award, which went to Stephanie Graham from Black Mountain Public School.

Glenda Kupczyk-Romanczuk, who chaired the organising committee for this year's Art Prize, introduced UNE arts education lecturer Frances Alter, who spoke about the winning entries. Ms Alter pointed out that Lauren Meredith's work, titled "Wooloomooloo after Dickerson"(depicting a sad figure against a backdrop of Sydney terrace houses), was a relief sculpture built up from shapes cut out of cardboard boxes and vividly painted. "There's a lot of depth to this work," she said. "And, although it arouses our sympathy, it's not sentimental." She spoke about the possible symbolism of Shoshannah Zettel's entry, titled "Apple Through My Eye", which is a photographic work having undergone a complex sequence of processes to produce its special quality. "It has captured a mood," she said. Joshua Russell's bold, bright painting of a rooster (titled "Embarrassed Rooster") showed, she said, "a strong sense of composition and colour contrast".

The exhibition at NERAM will continue till 17 July.


Media contact: Glenda Kupczyk-Romanczuk, School of Education, UNE (02) 6773 3838 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049. Please contact Jim Scanlan for photographs.

The photograph displayed here shows prize winners (from left) Joshua Russell, Lauren Meredith and Shoshannah Zettel.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at May 25, 2005 10:12 AM