The clouds hung low; they had softened the sunlight into a diffuse and washed out grey, and were pulled down by the heavy, humid air. Walking onto campus, I saw two kangaroos reclining on the grass, propped on one elbow. We exchanged blinks, and turning, I made my way to the gallery. A bubbly sense of inventiveness and excitement was humming through the cool, air-conditioned space. The University of the Sunshine Coast brought together over fifty students across their interdisciplinary Design program, and here, now, their accomplishment drew from me a quick, bright chime of laughter.
Connections: Time, Texture, Pattern is USC’s graduate exhibition, showcasing the capstone projects of students from diverse disciplines, including game design, interactive media, visual communication, and digital culture. This variety meant that to tour Connections was to never encounter the same thing twice, to instead meet and engage with an assortment of materials, practices, and media.
From my visit, it was clear that the graduating students had aligned their practices with professional goals and creative ambitions; their work had the beaming enthusiasm of a portfolio. Not only did the graduates collectively succeed in producing energetic and innovative works, but the exhibition served as an educational experience, offering insight into creative industries and reaffirming the essential, irreplaceable role of human creativity. This made me want to pause and reflect on the creative process and meticulous application of principles—balance, hierarchy, and typography—in everyday designs that are often taken for granted, such as exhibited in food packaging, marketing posters, and book covers. Other students employed newer media, like virtual reality, and explored creative possibilities in storytelling, interactive media, and immersive installation. Among the many impressive works on display, a few stood out for their originality and impact.
By the furthest wall from the gallery entrance, a radiant purple-blue glow emanated from under a flat wooden disk, seemingly floating. As I approached this work, the pinewood legs supporting it and the materials holding the disk came into clarity: a cylinder of acrylic, etched with the words of a poem and engraved with the portrait of a powerful woman adorned with a Moko on her chin. Artist Belinda Lourey created Rise Above as an expression of identity and an examination of personal and cultural narratives. The use of light creates an effect that entwines the metaphorical and literal. The positioning of the LED, encircled by intimate text and portraiture, evokes the inner light of strength that emerges from embracing one’s true self, while illuminating the stories and cultural heritage of Aotearoa, narratives that have long been ignored.
In another room I was disoriented to find, standing at the centre of the space, what appeared to be a paperbark tree. It disrupted the clean geometry of the gallery, as though the tree had simply taken root, unbidden and unapologetic. A road sign pointed to it read: ‘K’gari.’ A hollow frame of treated pine, layered in authentic paperbark, formed Janine Fuller’s evocative creation, Immersed in K’gari. True to the name, this artwork allowed guests to crouch within the tree’s hollow cubby and find themselves surrounded by a projection of K’gari’s forests and the resonate soundscape of birdsong and rustling leaves. It was exceptionally well executed.
Adjacent to the gallery entrance, a mechanical work mounted on the wall struck me, at first glance, as a pinball machine reimagined. Behind an acrylic pane, five pinwheels, in blue, orange, maroon, pink, and yellow, sat in motionless anticipation. A small sign invited interaction: ‘Speak to me.’ Leaning closer, I whispered a cautious ‘hello?’. The work sprang to life, a burst of dancing lights circling in playful motion as the pinwheels spun joyfully, their electric whirring crying out ‘weee!’ Tick…Tick…WOMB! by multidisciplinary artist Danielle Ramsays is a compelling and delightful experience, conveyed through an intuitive and accessible medium. The interactive and kinetic elements seemed to me to converse with its repetitive and mechanical features. Vitality and cyclicality creating a layered quality that balanced whimsy with introspection. It was very fun to experience.
The final work I would highlight is Clay and Light by ceramic artist Maxi Hill. Created from earthenware clay, Hill’s use of blue and orange paint accentuated the natural texture of the ceramics, while the shine of the glaze caught the light from lamps positioned on top, further emphasising the raw quality of the clay. One of Maxi Hill’s objects proclaimed: ‘Tell your rich friends about my art,’ a cheeky but appropriate reminder of the commercial value of creativity. This sentiment resonates with the entire Connections exhibition, where each artist, with their approaches and expressions, remind us of the power and potential of art to bridge disciplines, incite conversation, and create new perspectives. In a show filled with new talent and fresh ideas, the success of Connections lay in the way it encouraged visitors to celebrate the ubiquity of design: an often overlooked form of creativity that surrounds us daily, deserving appreciation all the same.
Expanded Lemonade coverage of 2024 graduate exhibitions is kindly made possible by Lemonade’s Patreons and Charmaine Lyons. Lemonade is continuing to fundraise for four further reviews. Become a Patreon or contact editor@lemonadeletters.com.au to make a one-off contribution and support this unique coverage of Queensland’s emerging artists.
Alma Aylmore is a Masters student in Museum Studies and Art History at the University of Queensland, with an undergraduate background in Anthropology.
