Annika Carleton You're so vanitas 2023. Oil paint, canvas, gloss varnish, pearlex powdered pigment, sequin, 76 x 101 cm. Perth Modern School. Photo: Christophe Canato Photography.
Ruth Mengler Self portrait 2023. Acrylic paint on canvas, 91 x 61 cm. John XXIII College. Christophe Canato Photography.
Josh Laboudeuse Harmonie Creole 2023. Screen printing hand-pulled 4 colour cymk and collage and QR code for digital video, three parts: 87.5 x 71 cm each. Corpus Christi College. Photo: Christophe Canato Photography.
WA's talented young artists are celebrated in this yearly showcase, gauging the pulse of young people who will influence, empower and shape the world we live in.
The selected works provide a window into young people’s private, social and artistic concerns. It is an inspiring, rewarding and insightful look at the world through the minds of our most talented young artists.
This year’s exhibition celebrates 32 years and features 60 works by 2023 Year 12 Visual Arts graduates from 36 schools across WA.
The works were selected by a judging panel including Lisa Bowden, Principal Consultant Visual Arts, Department of Education; Bahar Sayed, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art; and Artist Yabini Kickett.
This year The West Australian Pulse artists explore themes of mental health and social pressures, gender and culture, environmentalism and technology.
In 2024, we again invite WA's talented young creatives to unleash their creativity at the State Art Gallery, amplifying the Pulse program to provide a platform to showcase the State's young talent across all creative forms. Follow us @artgallerywa for programming announcements.
Selected by Anthony De Ceglie, Editor in Chief, West Australian Newspapers, in consultation with a selection of exhibitors from last year's The West Australian Pulse 2023, the Award recipient will receive $2,500. Congratulations to Emily Sim from Hillside Christian College for her work Reading, writing, 'rithmetic, ranting,ruination... 2023.
Artist's statement
Reading, writing, 'rithmetic, ranting, ruination... investigates the dual nature of educational environments which offer support for some students while harming others. It reflects the benefits and drawbacks of Australia's school systems, drawing from my personal experience in education. The installation serves as a metaphor for the complexity of academic life. Externally, students present themselves confidently and flawlessly to teachers and assessors, concealing internal struggles and psychological breakdown. The artwork captures the spectrum of emotions associated with the school environment, from monotony to anguish to distortion.
Visitors to this year's exhibition are encouraged to vote for their favourite work in The West Australian Pulse 2024 People's Choice Award. Visitor voting is open from 6.30pm, Friday 5 April until 5pm, Sunday 1 September, with the winner announced on Wednesday 4 September. The student artist whose work receives the most votes will receive $2,500. The school the artist attended, will receive an AGWA workshop and tour package. And one lucky voter will win a $100 AGWA Design Store voucher.
Download The West Australian Pulse 2024 Artwork Labels
Download The West Australian Pulse 2024 Sensory and Access Map
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GALLERY OPEN
Wed to Mon 10am-5pm
Closed Tuesdays, Good Friday and Christmas Day
Entry is free, donations welcomed. Special exhibitions may incur a ticket fee.