Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) Sculpture video transcript

Welcome to the RMIT School of Art Graduate Festival.

My name is Dr Fleur Summers and I’m the studio leader of the Sculpture Studio.

As an artist, I would like to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art as the oldest unbroken art tradition in the world, and recognise its important historical and ongoing contemporary contribution to Australian culture.

2020 has been especially challenging for all of us, but it has been particularly difficult for students studying fine art. Whilst sculpture students have missed our foundry and workshop facilities, they have shown us just how resourceful, creative and resilient sculpture students can be.

Students have worked with an amazing range of materials, including mud from local creeks, found objects, perspex, expanding foam, plaster, rubbish and recycled materials, PVC pipes and bubble gum. The fact that we see sculpture as an expanded medium allowed students to find ways to use available materials in new and interesting ways. Their works showcase a depth of creativity, determination and a refusal to give up during a hard lockdown in Melbourne when it was difficult to source even basic materials. These works also celebrate three years of intense studio practice, development and dedication.

This has also been made possible by our fantastic teaching staff. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Sculpture team: Dr Simon Perry, Dr Carolyn Eskdale, Carmen Reid, Skye Kelly and Luke Adams, and the technical staff Neale Kenny and Duncan Freedman. I’d particularly like to thank Neale, who is retiring this year after many years of solving problems and making many sculptural works possible.

Most of all, I’d like to congratulate our graduating students. Well done!

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Dr Fleur Summers, Studio Lead, 2020