Author: David Hunt

Opening on 17 March at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Top Arts 2023 returns for its 29th year, showcasing the talent of Victoria’s emerging creatives who have excelled in VCE art subjects. Top Arts 2023 celebrates the creativity, vision and commitment of 38 emerging artists and designers from across the state who have used art to bring their passions and concerns into sharp focus. The exhibition showcases works that are provocative and introspective, spanning themes of cultural and gender identity, vulnerability, society and nature.

Highlights from the exhibition include Minh Dang’s striking portrait Sorrow 2022 which depicts the artist’s friend and reflects on the challenges of a young queer man growing up in rural Victoria.

Dagoman, Wardaman and Gurindji woman Jasmine Glass has produced three woven baskets using traditional weaving techniques, reflecting the young artist’s connection to Country, her cultural heritage, and the long lineage of Aboriginal women who maintained the practice before her.

Mildura’s Eden Muster’s playful costume designs are reminiscent of childhood nostalgia and dress-up, intending to return audiences to a time of youth and impulsiveness set far from the pressures of adult life.

Hugo Martin’s Father and Poppy Series 2022 delves into family relationships, shared history and the sense of connection throughout time, painting hopeful and enjoyable scenes of the artist’s family across three generations.

For Jack Snow-Viener, the Sulphur photographic series overlays images, asking viewers to contemplate their own notions of what is conventionally beautiful.

Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV said, ‘The annual Top Arts exhibition demonstrates the astounding talent of Victoria’s young artists and designers as they contemplate the world around them following a challenging period of disruption. The level of technical and conceptual complexity present in this year’s exhibition is a testament to the resilience of young artists and we are proud to continue to foster their work, perspectives, and experiences at the NGV.’

Officeworks General Manager Marketing & Insights, Jessica Richmond, said: ‘As NGV’s new Major Partner of Top Arts 2023, we are proud to be supporting the Victorian students who will be exhibiting this year and showcasing arts education more broadly. It will be inspiring to see how these young artists harness their creativity through various mediums. We see a real synergy in our alignment to Top Arts.’

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