ARTEXPRESS 2025: Exhibitions of artworks by HSC visual arts students across NSW
The annual art exhibition which shows some of the most outstanding and exemplary artworks across NSW by HSC visual arts students has opened. Meet the students and see their amazing works.
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It’s that time of year again when the ARTEXPRESS exhibitions hit the Art Gallery of NSW, showcasing some of the best and most exemplary artworks across the state.
This annual series of exhibitions is where visual arts students all over NSW show off their artworks created for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams.
Meet these talented students and prepare to have an existential crisis over how your stickmen drawing pales in comparison to these works.
Rinya Bekana – Bossley Park High School
‘Candy-coloured memories’
Kids and candy stores are a pairing as old as time and served as the inspiration for Ms Bekana’s piece.
“I grew up captivated by the dazzling array of candy colours and the thrill of picking out treats, which for me represented endless possibilities and dreams,” she said.
“This fascination with bright, ephemeral moments is translated into my art through the playful use of candy coloured palettes and imagery reminiscent of marbles, capturing both the innocence and the wonder of those early experiences.
“Being able to display these pieces not only validates my creative journey but also invites viewers to reconnect with their own childhood memories the thrill of stepping into a candy store, the magic of colours, and the joy of discovery. This exhibition is a celebration of that shared, universal experience, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
Finn Bernstone Harris – Burwood Girls High School
‘Fashion as a verb: the creatures we wear’
The fashion industry and the way clothing plays a part in our identity was a subject Ms Bernstone Harris was keen to explore.
“I have always been completely fascinated and enthralled by clothing and design,” she said.
“Recently, I have become interested in the way that we are all designers, stylists and creators of our own image, and the way we “fashion” an external identity for ourselves. Through my work I aim to delve into that relationship of an individual with their own sense of style. I also wanted this work to serve as a celebration of the people whose clothing inspires me.
“I really appreciate the opportunity for my piece, with its strong sense of humour, to feature alongside the other, breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly powerful artworks in this exhibition. It feels absolutely incredible to have such overwhelming recognition of the physical and emotional work I have put into my funny little creatures!”
Jishnu Bhattacharya – Normanhurst Boys High School
‘Urban Metamorphosis’
Urban density and the current issues surrounding it, along with taking inspiration from another architectural wonder, helped Mr Bhattacharya create his piece.
“I was inspired by Kisho Kurokawa’s Nagakin Capsule Tower and its concept of modular architecture, combining it with the efficiency of organic hexagonal beehive structures to address the issue of urban density,” he said.
When asked how important it was for students to get the opportunity to showcase their work, Mr Bhattacharya said it helped inspire “future cohorts”.
“Recognition at this level not only validates the immense effort behind a body of work but also motivates aspiring artists by demonstrating the possibilities within the field,” he said.
Daisy Grace Burke – Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
‘Tapestries of time’
Weaving memories and imprinting images into fabric is a skill thousands of years old, and was no challenge for Ms Burke.
“My love for textiles and interest in unconventional processes assisted the unique composition and materials,” she said.
“During my travels abroad I was made aware of the impermanence of memory and its power to anchor us to places and moments that define one’s self.
“So incredibly grateful for the opportunity of exhibition, considering the hours and hours of work put into producing the final composition. It was so surreal to see my work finally displayed, especially alongside the famous collections of other artists; like Magritte.”
Sarai Charlton – St Andrews Cathedral School
‘An agreement with nature’
The beautiful collaboration between flora and fauna in nature was the inspiration behind Ms Charlton’s work.
“It celebrates the beauty and preciousness of nature that we must nurture. It also greatly stems from my countless childhood memories spent hiking through the Australian bush, and the sense of nostalgia that the unique landscape brings,” she said.
“It is a huge honour. Lots of time and effort went into bringing my vision to life so to see it recognised in such an amazing institution is really special.”
Domeniek de Graaf – Lambton High School
‘Overstroment (Overflowing)’
Ms de Graaf took inspiration from her childhood living in the Netherlands, exploring how her native country would be affected by rising sea levels.
“Further to express that this issue is often overlooked, I wanted to embody Dutch culture that is recognisable all over the world. I thus was influenced by traditionally Dutch ‘Delftsblauw’ ceramics to depict how Dutch culture and history could be easily be erased,” she said.
“It is really important for young art students to have such a big opportunity so that they can see a wide audience react and interact with their artwork and listen to their reactions.”
Mahir Ershad – Mosman High School
‘We are babies’
Mr Ershad wanted to express humanity’s growing reliance on AI in an unnerving way, similar to activist illustrator and animator Steve Cutts.
“I tried to emulate this method with the message in my works about humanity’s growing reliance on Ai and represented this relationship through symbolising humanity as babies and Ai as their mother,” he said.
“The intention is to highlight how people depend on Ai much like how a child depends on the care of their caregiver or parent.
“I am very proud to be amid this crowd of incredible artists. I’m looking forward to seeing the exhibition.”
Anna Fiedler – Bega High School
‘Connection, disconnection’
“I was inspired by Alexander Calder’s mobiles, particularly their use of balance and movement, which felt mathematical and satisfying to me,” Ms Fiedler said.
“Initially, I aimed to create a meditative piece focused on the tranquillity of movement, equilibrium and connection, but as the sculpture developed, so did its meaning to me. My two mobiles interact with one another, exploring cycles of clarity, alignment, and connection, contrasted with phases of confusion, tension and disconnection.
“I’m incredibly excited and honoured to have my work on exhibition. Seeing it displayed in a space where others can experience its movement makes all the time and patience that went into it feel even more rewarding. It’s also fascinating to observe how different people interpret it.”
Lucas Giraldo – Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus
‘Lost fowls’
Mr Giraldo used this opportunity to showcase extinct bird species from across the globe.
“The main purpose of this work is to depict these animals in a lifelike manner, highlighting their absence from their native ecosystems. Created in response to the loss of biodiversity due to hunting and invasive species,” Mr Giraldo.
“The project draws inspiration from the works of Albert Bierstadt for landscaping and scenery. Other artists such as George Edwards Lodge detailed bird paintings influenced the level of realism I aimed to achieve in my work.
“I am very excited to know that my work is being acknowledged and appreciated.”
Oscar Hartley – Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design
‘Connection unavailable’
“I was inspired by my love for landscapes and the natural world to expose the growing disconnect between humanity and nature in our digital age,” Mr Hartley said.
“Combined with my preferred medium of digital art, I was inspired to depict an ironic subversion of the technologically-opposed genre of Romantic landscape painting to reveal this inescapability of technology.”
Mr Hartley said he looked at past entries into the exhibition whenever he needed inspiration.
“Events such as these are vitally important to show young artists that hard work and creativity pays off and to provide the confidence for them to keep creating art,” he said.
Emily Lee – Mereweather High School
‘Moral decay’
“Moral Decay’ was inspired by 16-17th century Vanitas art and symbolism, which I first discovered through a case study we did in class,” Ms Lee said.
“I loved the language of symbols that Vanitas artists used to tell a story within their still life paintings, and I incorporated this into my 5 drawings, each corresponding to a different fallibility of society. The pomegranate represents gluttony, the octopus represents drunkenness, the lilies and pearls represent death and materialism, the lemon represents vanity, and the fish represents overconsumption.”
She said having her work showcased has been a dream come true.
“I loved those excursions and secretly always dreamt of having my artwork exhibited in ARTEXPRESS one day so I’m thrilled it’s on exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW!”
Luis Lemiri – Wyndham College
‘AK-M7’
Mr Lemiri used his work to force his audience to re-evaluate embedded bias and “disrupt the societal beliefs” in how the world sees “black culture”.
“The inspiration behind my artwork AK-M7 is my response to JR’s Portrait of a generation, representing the harsh realities of racial profiling and social Judgement,” he said.
“I wanted the audience to understand the common misconception around young black men and its damaging effect on society.”
Hannah Luscombe – Inaburra School
‘I have something to tell you …’
“The inspiration behind my work comes from the human face and its ability to convey intricate meaning through even the simplest expressions,” Ms Luscombe said.
“I’m fascinated by how the brain processes visual information, allowing us to interpret emotions and reactions just by looking at someone’s face. I also love the challenge of photorealism in portraits, as I find the process both rewarding and captivating.”
Mia Macdonald – Clancy Catholic College
‘Leave the lamp on’
“My work encapsulates the whimsical yet complex nature of childhood nightmares and how this can shape our emotional landscape as we grow older, taking direct inspiration from my own childhood nightmares,” Ms Macdonald said.
“Through the naive and expressive style of each monster, I simplify these complex emotions into something more amusing and accessible to imitate the immature nature of the child’s mind when processing anxieties.”
Linh Mai – Hunters Hill High School
‘Inner psyche’
While some people turn to their friends or family to voice their frustrations, Ms Mai used her artwork.
“My inspiration for my work was my self frustration at being unable to put a deep meaning behind my art,” she said.
“Hence I decided to focus on having fun and showcasing what reflects my creative journey to express that art, most of the time does not require rigid planning.”
She also expressed her support for exhibitions such as ARTEXPRESS.
“My opinion stands that creative subjects have difficulty to stand out mainly resulting in having a job, hence such events solidifies their aspirations and artistic passion,” she said.
Ziggy Marsden – Newtown High School of Performing Arts
‘Nana’s old home’
Mr Marsden used his work as a way to sort through and document his memories from his childhood days spent at his “nan’s old home” and was thrilled when his work was chosen.
“It feels great for my work to be on exhibition! the feeling of people I have never even met seeing my photographs is super surreal, super exciting,” he said.
Thomas McFarlane – Pacific Hills Christian School
‘Ningaloo grief’
“My inspiration for my body of work stemmed from a great love of the ocean and the creatures that call Australia’s beautiful reef systems home,” Mr McFarlane said.
“Having grown up seeing the destruction human development has had upon the Great Barrier Reef within the media, I wanted to use the platform of my major work to address the issue of climate and human impact upon the environment of Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef.
“My major work aims to convey the current beauty of the Ningaloo Reef while also imagining a grim projected picture of what the relatively untouched reef could also look like in years to come if human impact in the form of oil mining bordering the reef is done in a manner that could harm the reef.”
Ava Nguyen Kobus – Penrith Anglican College
‘Family folklore: tales of earth, sea and fire’
“I was inspired by the glorification of struggle in cultural folklore, myths and legends in comparison to the perilous memories of my family,” Ms Nguyen Kobus said.
“In my work, I wanted to express the balance between truth and fiction in the stories told to children by representing the violent and tragic stories of my family through the romanticised perception of my wonder and imagination.
“My work is very candid as a diasporic Indonesian-Vietnamese, so I feel as though I’m baring my soul to the world, in a sense. Although, I am very proud to show off my heritage and my family’s courage, so it’s exciting to see that on display.”
Isabella Pex – Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College The Entrance Campus
‘The pillars of masculinity’
Ms Pex looked at the stereotypical male archetypes seen across all forms of western media and wanted explore the age-old saying of ‘if you can do it, I can do it better’.
“Consuming western media highlighted the often derivative representations of females in the genre, if they are included at all,” she said.
“So, I wanted to reinterpret these macho tropes with women at the helm of the narrative, fighting, delivering justice, and riding off into the sunset as their male counterparts have always done.
“This opportunity allowed me to share my passion project with a wider audience than I could ever imagine, and for that, I’m endlessly grateful and thrilled.”
Solomon Pittard – Pittwater High School
‘The art of falling’
Mr Pittard’s passion for sport became the inspiration behind his work of art.
“I was inspired to create a piece that not only highlights the passion I hold for my sport, but also portrays the significance of determination in the face of hardship as a catalyst for growth,” he said.
“I feel honoured that my artwork was selected for exhibition, and am greatly exited to see people interacting with my work.”
Alex Silver – Masada College
‘The patient reclamation’
“My HSC major work ‘The Patient Reclamation’ was inspired by artists from around the globe and several whose work is situated in the Art Gallery of New South Wales,” Mr Silver said.
“Some of these artists include the famed Australian ceramist Marea Gazzard and the sculptor Robert Klippel. These artists inspired the style of my artwork as well as the ideas behind them – specifically humanity’s relationship to the natural world.
“I am incredibly excited to have my major work on display and it is difficult to express the enormity of the occasion. Having my work the same gallery as Robert Klippel and Vincent van Gogh is something I still find difficult to comprehend. Even just seeing the caliber of many of the other ARTEXPRESS artworks makes me feel out of place.”
Maxina Spence – Castle Hill High School
‘Corridors of conformity’
“The inspiration behind my work came from my life experiences and my life story,” Ms Spence said.
“Reminding myself and others to break free from conforming to others ideal and to embrace your authentic self that is true to your soul.”
She pointed out how opportunities such as the exhibit could help give budding artists the confidence they needed.
“It is important to showcase young people’s creative thoughts, ideas and expression through their artworks in an event such as art express,” she said.
Michi Takayama – Armidale Secondary College
‘Akebono (Dawn): the beginning’
“I was heavily inspired by traditional Japanese art and culture,” Ms Takayama said.
“I tried to capture the journey of life into the afterworld and incorporated three works each representing heaven, earth and hell.”
She hopes her work, and the many others on display, continue to inspire others in the future to pursue visual arts during high school.
“Having your work exhibited among many other amazing works is the best feeling. After all we all made our works to be seen not just marked,” she said.
“I think it’s important as opportunities like these are hard to come across especially for students in regional areas. This event also inspires future HSC students who might consider choosing art.”
Fatima Tayyab – St Mary’s Senior High School
‘Sonder luminescence’
“My work is deeply influenced by the artistic significance of 19th-century Impressionism, particularly its emphasis on light and atmosphere,” Ms Tayyab said.
“I also drew inspiration from American artist Kim English, whose mastery of chiaroscuro and ability to capture the beauty in everyday life resonated with me. Through my piece, I aimed to explore the interplay of light and shadow while portraying moments of quiet mundanity.
“It’s an incredible honour to have my work featured in ARTEXPRESS — something I had only hoped to achieve. Seeing my art exhibited alongside such talented students is both surreal and rewarding. I’m beyond excited to share my work with a wider audience and hope it resonates with others.”
Monica Thomas – Kildare Catholic College
‘Inscribed sojourn’
Ms Thomas took inspiration from somewhere close to home – her mother’s “arduous” journey from Sierra Leone.
“Furthermore, I was influenced by the African patterns and totem designs, visual style and symbols of West African culture, art and design and the contemporary artists that reinterpret those visual codes,” she said.
Aleksandrs Tumasovs – The Scots College
‘Inside. Outside’
“Besides other artists like Elisabeth Cummings and Paul Gauguin there wasn’t much inspiration, it was more just instinctive expression,” Mr Tumasovs said.
“I reckon it’s quite valuable to have events like ARTEXPRESS because they allow young people to truly show their work and creative process.”
Sam Polifroni – Marian Catholic College
‘I am Sam’
The inspiration behind Mr Polifroni’s work can be summed up as ‘whatever I want’.
“When I was little I would have art books and in them I would draw wired wacky characters,” he said.
“Characters from video games or TV shows I like a lot. Mostly because how cool their design is, I would always like to draw animals and robots. And then I would draw my own characters. So really, it was just simply wanting to do what I wanted to do.”
He said having his artwork showcased to others was a dream come true.
“It was always something I like doing. I always like to show teachers and my friends or parents my drawings to show look at this really cool thing I draw,” he said.
“But now I’m like pretty much showing it to the whole state and anyone who comes into New South Wales who would see my artwork. Well, it’s something else. I feel very proud of myself that I can make it this far and it’s gonna be something. I’m never gonna forget.”
Seini Vulawalu – Tyndale Christian School
‘MANGAKA UNOFFICIAL: she-devils and what’s left to lose’
“My inspiration is my fascination with Japan’s anime and manga industry and how most popular manga [Japanese graphic novels] are released on a weekly basis; all with a consistent story, clean visuals and an amazing use of artistry,” Ms Vulawalu said.
“Being able to directly refer to Eiichiro Oda’s ongoing work, One Piece (1997-), and the use of Tite Kubo’s work, “Bleach” (2001-2016), as artistic reference spurred me to create my own characters and story. Another inspiration was my art teacher, her support and belief in me and my ability was a driving factor throughout my art process; she blatantly stated to me ‘you are getting into ARTEXPRESS’ – not leaving much room to disappoint.”
Zahra Wiradilaga – Burwood Girls High School
‘Given or create?’
“The inspiration behind my work varies in different yet cohesive factors that go into creating my cultural identity, being 3 quarters Indonesian, 1 quarter Australian, and born in Australia, finding myself is still complicated,” Ms Wiradilaga said.
“Creating my body of work, I took these factors into consideration, this included traditional dance, food, connection to family, as well as my community and the friends around me. The inspiration majorly comes from a combination of the identity and culture given to you, and then ultimately what you do with it, and how you apply it to your life.”
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