Displeasing the Masses: Pop culture and resistance is the Term 2 exhibition at Concordia Gallery. It opened Thursday, 14 June and closes Wednesday, 27 June. The Year 9/10 elective class ‘Power, Propaganda and Plagiarism’ also contributed political text painting in response to the ideas represented in the artists’ work. The artists selected for the exhibition include Joel Stephen Birnie, Caroline Garcia, Josh Muir, Bhenji Ra, Justin Shoulder and Salote Tawale. The premise of the exhibition was to group artists who identify as being on the outside of mainstream culture, whether through gender, culture or history. The four video works and one digital print have provided rich conversations among the students.

Year 8, 9 and 10 Visual Arts students have visited the exhibition and heard from the curators Chiara Scafidi and Peter Waples-Crowe. They were asked to reflect on their experience with the artworks and analyse the artworks personally and culturally. Below is one account from Year 9 student Artie Torrible (9/MO) and his thoughts on Deep Alamat a collaboration between Bhenji Ra and Justin Shoulder.

Two trapped souls seek the same
Shifting and shaking to free a way
They both are different but have one aim
One uses aposematism and the other a sensual ballet

With flow and drift they become closer
The duo weave a new alamat with flexibility
One day they might meet without an imposer
Their bodies move unpredictably

Finally, they see their goal ahead
But do they touch or connect?
They look and see, some things are unsaid
Closer and closer until they affect

Thank you to New Women parent group for their ongoing support of Concordia Gallery projects.

Hannah Chapman
Visual Arts Teacher / Concordia Curator