What a year it was for our young artists and designers! In 2024, four Year 12 Scots students received nominations for ARTEXPRESS 2025, an annual showcase of exemplary artworks by New South Wales Visual Arts students undertaking their HSC (Higher School Certificate).
Additionally, two Year 12 students were nominated for SHAPE, the annual NSW showcase of outstanding major projects from HSC Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design students. Out of the 8,858 students across NSW who completed the HSC, 565 were nominated, with 228 students’ works selected. Notably only 50 students had their work exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
SHAPE Nominations
Harry Cooper, Indoor Entertainment Modular Table
“This dining table design aims to enhance both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of my family’s living space, blending form with versatility to meet the diverse needs of contemporary households.”
Max Deal, Domestic Meat Preservation/Curing Cabinet.
“The primary purpose of this project is to preserve large amounts of meat through dry-aging and curing processes over long periods of time. I hope it will allow consumers to purchase an affordable, ergonomic and aesthetic meat cabinet.”
ARTEXPRESS 2025 Selections and Nominations
Aleksander Tumasovs, Inside. Outside, Painting.
Displayed at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Grafton Regional Gallery.
“In my body of work, I have created two large abstract paintings. Each hue is chosen not for its aesthetic harmony but for its ability to convey visceral sensation. The colours erupt across the canvas with the same spontaneity that drives my movements, creating a dynamic interplay of tension and release.”
Max Soepono, Serendipity, Time-based Media
Displayed at the Lismore Regional Gallery, Mudgee Arts Precinct and New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM).
“Serendipity understands my own emotional complexities of growing up, with three older brothers. The film, in conjunction with my own poem and narration, explores the unforgiving nature that is to bear witness to the growth and departure of three older brothers; whilst sensing a helplessness within my own youth and naivety, in not being able to go forth with them.”
Luke Holland, The Divide, Time-based Media
Displayed at the ARTEXPRESS Virtual Exhibition and Orange Regional Gallery.
“The Divide delves into the dichotomy between the serene beauty of the ocean and the relentless chaos of urban life. The title, The Divide, symbolises the personal rupture I experienced during my upbringing. the divorce of my parents led to a forced separation from this passion, plunging me into the chaotic energy of city life.”
Matteo Giuffrida, Happy Place, Time-based Media (Nominated)
“In my short film, Happy Place, I explore the profound impact of loss and familial pressure on a vulnerable teenager, following the untimely death of his mother. Struggling under the weight of his older brother who is also grieving, the younger brother seeks solace in his nostalgic ‘happy place’ revolving around the memories of his mum.”
