Honi Soit: Sydney Contemporary takes over Carriageworks

Honi Soit: Sydney Contemporary takes over Carriageworks

By Thomas Sargeant and Amelia Koen

Considering accessibility both in terms of the financial and intellectual barriers embedded within art, the showings from National Art School (NAS) students is well-worth checking out.

NAS has brought eight students to the festival in a notable divergence from the other exhibiting institutions in attendance. Though some galleries may be representing artists who are students, NAS is the only group attending the festival who is an educating body, solely representing the work of students.

Honi spoke with the senior curator of NAS, Katrina Cashman, to hear about the opportunities granted to student artists exhibiting at Sydney Contemporary.

Cashman explained that Sydney Contemporary is “a platform that shows their work to thousands,” and can act as a “curatorial stepping stone” through which students are able to launch a career in fine arts and connect with industry representation, galleries, and dealers.

The ways in which NAS’ presence at the festival is unique was also touched upon by Cashman, she explained that their booth critically contributes to a “democratisation of art”. Wherein the presence of the school and its students — who are only beginning to develop their artistic practice — creates an entry-level space for both young artists and festival attendees to engage with art.

Cashman herself notes that the ‘white-cube’ space of many galleries, and many booths present, is often a deterrent for new viewers of art. Pointing to the layout of their space, the NAS booth has works of art that extend beyond the confines of their cube and into the walkway to create a space that individuals can walk freely into and around.

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In June, we celebrate World Pride Month. Like many other culturally significant times, it’s a month that’s meaningful to our community and the Oxford precinct we are part of. 

In 2015, NAS alum Todd Fuller (@fuller_todd) sent members of the public black and white drawings depicting two men engaged in a passionate kiss. The participants were encouraged to respond to the image by colouring in the figures, with the resulting images compiled by Fuller into a mixed media video animation. 

Fuller gifted this work to the National Art School Collection, a collection that performs a major role within the National Art School as both a teaching resource and a historical record. Visit our website to find out more about the works in our collection.

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Todd Fuller, ‘The Unite Project - 3rd generation ‘, 2015, mixed media animation, colour and sound, 13.35 mins loop; image courtesy the artist and National Art School © Todd Fuller. From the National Art School Collection - Gift of Todd Fuller.
We're excited to share that NAS Photomedia sessional Dr Jack Ball (@jack__ball_) is the winner of the $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize 2025, the nation’s most generous prize for Australian artists under forty.

Jack's award winning work 'Heavy Grit' is on display in the Ramsay Art Prize 2025 exhibition which opens tomorrow, Saturday 31 May

Jack Ball with 'Heavy Grit' in Ramsay Art Prize 2025, Art Gallery of South Australia, (@agsa.adelaide) Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed
Thank you to outgoing Chair Susan Rothwell AM & welcome to incoming Chair Jeff Weeden. The National Art School would like to express its deepest gratitude to Susan Rothwell AM, whose term as Chair of the NAS Board concludes on 31 May 2025. 

At the same time, we are pleased to announce and warmly welcome Jeff Weeden as the incoming Chair of the NAS Board, effective 1 June 2025.

Jeff has served as a Director on the NAS Board since 2019 and currently chairs the Finance and Audit Committee, a position he has held since 2023.  For the full announcement, click the link in the bio.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) starts today! As part of our NAS NRW program, we invite you to a special screening of the documentary 'Kindred' (2023) in our Cell Block Theatre. The directors Gillian Moody and Adrian Russell Wills will be joining us for the screening.

'There's the black world, and then there's the white world. I felt walking in each of them was complicated enough. To bring those together would just make it even harder.' (Kindred: Trailer)

'Kindred' is a deeply personal feature-length documentary that delves into the emotional landscape of family, love, and loss through the eyes of two close friends.'

Limited capacity - click the link in bio to reserve your seats.
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