Art has always fascinated Wollongong teenager Isaac Plumridge.
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But the Edmund Rice College graduate was nevertheless ecstatic when his artwork was selected for the flagship ARTEXPRESS exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW.
ARTEXPRESS 2020, running from February 6 to April 26, showcases outstanding works of art created by NSW students for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) Visual Arts examination in 2019.
The artwork of only 48 young artists was selected for the 36th annual ARTEXPRESS, from 8552 student works submitted by government and non-government schools from across metropolitan and regional NSW.
Plumridge's photomedia work, titled Metropolis, was influenced by Australian artist Max Dupain and American modernist architect Frank Lloyd Wright and explores contemporary architecture.
"Contemporary architecture is innovative, visionary and trailblazing as it aims to break away from the processes and ways of thinking that have become standard," the 17-year-old said.
"I have incorporated these concepts to explore my passion of contemporary architecture.
"Minimalism has been explored within my work allowing focus on the connection between the void spaces left by the abstraction of three dimensional shapes in the architectural designs.
"I have chosen the medium of photography to capture and represent a connection between the excellence of engineering along with the creativity and artistic flair of the human mind that is evident in today's contemporary architecture."
Isaac recently moved to the nation's capital to start a Bachelor of Built Environment, Architecture degree at the University of Canberra.
"I just want to thank my parents, teacher Mrs [Mary] Costello and Edmund Rice College for helping me produce the artwork," he said.
"They were there for me in every way. I couldn't have done it without their help."
Art Gallery of NSW director Michael Brand said the exhibition shows the great enthusiasm and depth of talent of students in NSW.
"ARTEXPRESS 2020 represents the independent creative voices of young people and the issues that are important to them. Their evocative explorations of environmental concerns, personal identity, human emotion and the politics of our time are sophisticated, inventive and thought-provoking," Dr Brand said.
"The continued popularity of ARTEXPRESS is testament to the public's enthusiasm for supporting young artists and the Gallery's ongoing commitment to providing a platform for artists and a forum for art education and the exchange of ideas."