November 20, 2017

Grad show pushes the boundaries of art, politics and human emotion

From exploring mental health through painting to looking at the future of our planet, UOW creative arts students showcase their best

For Anabel Malcolm, painting creates a space for understanding, empathy and healing.

The young artist used her uncle as a muse for a series of paintings depicting mental suffering as a creative adventure.

“My uncle has schizophrenia, most people who see him in the street usually try to avoid him, but it’s really because they don’t understand his mental illness,” she says. 

Anabel’s paintings give a brighter view of mental health, and get people to think about, reflect on and explore painful and difficult issues – either for themselves or for society at large.

It is something they share with many of the other art works at this year’s Third Year Graduates Art Show held at the University of Wollongong’s Creative Arts Building.

In the exhibition, students from the Bachelor of Creative Arts (both Visual Arts and Graphic Design), the Bachelor of Digital Media, and the Bachelor of Communication and Media, show off their creative skills with more than 150 works of art on show.

The eclectic works range from paintings depicting life-size cyborgs, a wall built with bricks made of pulped paper, a self-expressive video depicting depression, a table filled with a clay made coral reef to a collage of nail biting and a water colour painting consisting of hands.

According to Dr Agnieszka Golda, a senior lecturer in Visual Arts, there is something for everyone at this year’s exhibition, from textiles, painting, video installations, photo-media, print-media and sculpture.

“Every year I’m blown away with the amount of talent we have at UOW. This latest art exhibition is a great opportunity to enjoy the creativity produced by these amazing young artists,” Dr Golda says.

The TAEM Grad Show will be running from 25 November to 9 December, in Creative Arts, Building 25 at the University of Wollongong.