Top Arts 2013

Every year for the last (I don't know how many years!) 10 years or so my mum, Darren and I have gone to the Top Arts exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. Miss 2 has come along for the last three years. Top Arts (previously Top CATs) is the exhibition of the best creations by students in Arts or Studio Arts who have just completed the Victorian Certificate of Education, so very talented year 12 students.

Top Arts 2013 was held in the Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square. In the foyer was an area where children could draw, so we spent a bit of time there to start with and at the end.

The gallery was a different gallery to previous years and felt smaller. There were 43 art works and I'm going to share my favourites with you.

Girl with a pearl earring is part of a series of four photos referencing other works of art, this one referencing Vermeer's painting. The other pieces were also modern photos referencing Da Vinci's The Mona Lisa, van Eyck's The Arnolfini marriage and Wood's American Gothic, but Girl with a pearl earring was my favourite.

Girl with a pearl earring by Tess Saunders.

Can I keep it? by Glen Clancey.

Quest was very cute - a series of nine (from memory) sketches of a girl's journey to find inspiration. I didn't take a photo of the whole series.

Quest by Kyoko Bowden.

Darren's favourite was Alfred Evans' series of prints and associated sketches and notes.

Threat, Depth and Depletion by Alfred Evans.

Thalassophobia: Phobias is interesting because it is lingerie made of seaweed and mussels and human hair. Vaguely gross.

Thalassophobia: Phobias by Valona Flamuri.

Dysphoric by Marco Fink.

Waiting (l'Attente) was a movie about a sad old man and I watched it several times because Miss 2 thought that it was fantastic.

Waiting (l'Attente) by Rex Kane-Hart.

Amulet by Oliver Reade.

Urban huntress is a dress made of red ties. I didn't realise this there, but am impressed with the idea in retrospect.

Urban huntress by Remy Wong.

One of the disappointments was that there is usually a voting area to vote for your favourite art work. But this year there wasn't anywhere to vote. I would have voted for Devolution. This was a series of lino cuts, gradually getting more complicated. Love it!

Devloution by Julia Bergin.

Julia's lino cut.

The exhibition is on until 7 July and it's free, so do go along if you're in Melbourne.