Art students show creativity and character

Visual arts students from Darwin and Alice Springs will have their best works displayed this week in one of the Territory’s most eminent exhibition spaces.

Some 60 paintings, drawings, prints, photos and several large installations have been included in the Art is Easy (and all music is the same) exhibition, which opens this Wednesday evening at the Chan Contemporary Art Space in Darwin.

The collection, curated by Charles Darwin University visual arts lecturers Sarah Pirrie, Henry Smith and Suzi Lyon, features works in which paper was the primary medium.

“It is a colourful and vibrant collection that celebrates Territory creativity and the challenges and rewards the profession provides,” Ms Pirrie said.

“Art is not easy but the commitment, discipline and effort reflected in these works speaks of creative thinkers who will contribute to our future organisations, communities and culture.

“It contains ambitious works by students across our vocational education and training, undergraduate and doctoral programs. Among them will be large installations by PhD candidate Glynis Lee and VET visual arts student Marie Oliveira.”

Ms Pirrie said several group projects had been included in the mix, including a four-piece portrait of Alice Springs lecturer Henry Smith.

The project began with a photographic portrait of Mr Smith, taken in light that accentuated variations in contrast and skin tone. The image was divided into unequal parts and shared among four student artists. Each painted a section of the portrait independently of the others, before the four sections were amalgamated.

“Apart from being an exercise in artistic technique, it demonstrates how differently four people see and replicate the one scene,” Ms Pirrie said.

Art is Easy (and all music is the same) will run in the Chan Contemporary Art Space, Darwin, from 10 - 28 July. Free entry.