World view at hand

By Tania Martin
A CONSERVATIONIST and a budding nurse have been put in the spotlight with their artwork going on display at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Former Monbulk College students Alex Maisey and Cassie Meadows’s passion for art and the environment won them a spot in the coveted National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Top Arts: VCE 2007 exhibition.
The pair were chosen out of more than 2000 budding artists for the exhibition.
Now in its 14th year, the exhibition showcases more than 60 pieces of work by 57 students from government, independent and catholic schools from across Victoria.
The Top Arts exhibit features a range of media from painting and photography to drawing, sculpture, digital imagery and animation works.
For Alex, a conservationist, being a part of the exhibition was not only an opportunity to get his art recognised but to make people aware of environmental issues.
His images titled Conservation – The World is in Our Hands is a graphic depiction of how nature is being both destroyed and conserved by human beings.
“As a conservationist I wanted to show a world worth protecting, prompting people to defend the environment against destruction and deforestation and encouraging them to live in an environmentally friendly manner,” he said.
Alex said he hopes his art illustrates to people the importance of stewardship for the planet.
Meanwhile, Cassie Meadows was shocked to hear she had won a place in the exhibition.
For this young nursing student, art is a passionate hobby, not a career path.
“It was amazing. I was so shocked that I was chosen out of all those people,” she said.
“Art for me is a hobby but being in this exhibition is really exciting.”
Exhibition curator Marren Ricketson said the exhibition gives students the opportunity to visually display their ideas, celebrate their work, and gain recognition for their talents.
“Top Arts provides students with exceptional experience of the arts industry,” she said.
The exhibition also provides a platform for Victorian students to convey their attitudes and ideas to the public and explore current themes in society.
Students selected for the exhibition have completed art or studio arts as part of their Victorian Certificate of Education.
This year, 171 Victorian artists were short-listed from more than 2000 applicants.
Visitors to the exhibition will be encouraged to vote for their favourite artworks in the exhibition.
The art departments of the three schools whose exhibitors obtain the most votes will receive a cash reward as part of the Goldman Sachs JB Were People’s Choice Award.
Top Arts: VCE 2007 is now open and will be on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Federation Square, until Monday 9 June.
The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is open to the public from 10am to 5pm every day except Mondays when it is only open for school visits by appointment.
The exhibition will also be open late every Thursday until 9pm.