After a year of galleries closure creating the need for virtual excursions, it was thrilling for some of our visual arts classes to be able to jump on a train and travel down to Melbourne to see ‘in real life’ the Top Design and Top Art exhibitions. It was also an added bonus to have Damascus finely represented at both exhibitions.

After arriving at Southern Cross Station, the group of 25 students from Media, VCD and Studio Arts caught a tram to the Melbourne Museum to view Top Designs 2021. This exhibition showcases some of the brightest VCE and VCE VET students from across Victoria. With over 1000 submissions, the final selection of 95 works selected by panels of expert educators offers a glimpse into the future of Australian creatives. It was fantastic to see Jack Davidson’s audio work professionally presented in a glass cabinet. The selection of his podcast confirmed the hard work and talent that had gone into this VCE media folio.

All three classes then caught the tram down to Federation Square to visit the Top Art exhibition in the National Gallery of Victoria. This exhibition featured artworks from Studio Art and Art VCE students from 2020. Students saw present folios and show progression in their work. The folios of the students that successfully chosen to be into Top Arts clearly showed how the idea changed through time and most importantly why they changed. The exhibition also provided ideas of what presentation formats they might want to work with next semester. Damascus student Charlotte Grimes inspiring photographic print on glass reminded us of how our life in shut down changed to views seen through windows.

Last year students had to undergo the extraordinary experience of a global pandemic and one of the world’s longest lockdowns in Victoria. The artworks featured in both exhibitions reflected this well in the innovative use of materials and subject matter.

Don’t miss your chance to see the future generation of artists, designers and media makers as they possible take the next step in their creative careers. Both exhibitions run until July 11.