ARTEXPRESS reimagined due to COVID-19

The show must go on, as they say, and despite COVID closures, Artexpress has followed the rest of the creative world online.

Now in its 36th year, Artexpress launched as usual on 6 February at the Art Gallery of NSW with 48 carefully curated bodies of work. The exhibition was due to remain open to the public until late April before commencing its regular regional tour, but the schedule unravelled with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each year, high-achieving HSC visual arts students look forward to exhibiting their major projects at ARTEXPRESS, which is held at several locations. “The exhibition showcases not just their exceptional creativity but also the expertise and commitment of visual art teachers in NSW,” said Louise Halpin, education program producer at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Though the exhibition initially closed its doors five weeks early, COVID-19 provided a unique opportunity to showcase the artworks online via audio, video, and a virtual gallery. “… these 48 elegant and resolved bodies of work demonstrate a creativity, resilience and sustained investigation of the very complex world and times in which we live. It is wonderful to be able to share them with the community — even over the web,” said Haplin.

This year’s showcase features exemplary artworks, including Talija Hrnjak’s piece on family and culture, a critique of contemporary society by Zak Kalivas, and explorations of the environments and climate change by several students.

All artworks featured in Artexpress exhibitions from 2005 to 2020 can also be viewed online via Inside Artexpress.

Artexpress is a joint partnership between the NSW Education Standards Authority and NSW Department of Education in association with the Art Gallery of NSW.