Next wave of artistic talent: ARTEXPRESS 2024

The Art Gallery of New South Wales presents ARTEXPRESS 2024, a showcase of outstanding artworks by young artists from across New South Wales for the art-making component of the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination in Visual Arts.

ARTEXPRESS 2024 charts a breadth of topics impacting young Australians, and reveals common themes of identity, family, history, cultural heritage, place and home. The exhibition includes works across all Expressive Forms of the HSC Visual Arts curriculum, including painting, drawing, photo-media, sculpture, ceramics, time-based, documented form, printmaking, textiles and fibre, graphic design, designed objects and collections of works.

First shown at the Art Gallery in 1983, the annual ARTEXPRESS exhibition highlights the creativity and unique perspectives of the state’s most recent HSC Visual Arts graduates. ARTEXPRESS 2024 features works by 50 students, chosen from 8660 student works submitted for the 2023 HSC examination in Visual Arts. The exhibition showcases work by students from both regional and metropolitan areas, government and non-government schools, and affirms the strength of young artistic talent from across New South Wales.

Art Gallery of New South Wales director Michael Brand said that ARTEXPRESS is a key pillar of the Art Gallery’s commitment to celebrating arts scholarship and creative learning in New South Wales schools.

‘It is always a joy to see the Art Gallery buzzing with the youthful energy of ARTEXPRESS. It reminds us of the crucial role of the arts in helping people of all ages connect and make sense of our world. I extend my congratulations to this years’ students on their stellar presentation of work, and as they move into their next chapter, I encourage them to continue enriching their lives with art,’ said Brand.

Exhibition curator and Art Gallery of New South Wales senior programs producer, learning and participation, Louise Halpin, said: ‘ARTEXPRESS remains one of the Art Gallery’s most popular annual exhibitions, and I believe this is testament to the students’ original and passionate interpretations of the world around them. It is exciting to imagine our future art landscape in the hands of talented young artists, including these students.’

This year’s ARTEXPRESS students will join an impressive cohort of former exhibitors including Ben Quilty (1991), David Griggs (1994), Jasper Knight (1997), Julie Fragar (1995), Tom Polo (2002), Bhenji Ra (2009) and Louise Zhang (2009). Since 1989, the Art Gallery has been the principal venue for ARTEXPRESS, displaying bodies of work by students from across New South Wales. ARTEXPRESS is presented in partnership with the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

ARTEXPRESS 2024 is on display at the Art Gallery from 8 February to 21 April 2024. Entry is free.

ARTEXPRESS 2024 exhibitions in NSW:  

Art Gallery of New South Wales | 8 February – 21 April 
Hazelhurst Arts Centre | 10 February – 7 April
Tamworth Regional Gallery | 24 February – 28 April
Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery | 18 May – 30 June
Yarrila Arts and Museum, Coffs Harbour | 7 June – 9 August
Cowra Regional Art Gallery | 18 August – 22 September