The first annual Naidoc Youth Art Exhibition held by the City of Bayswater and Outcare was launched last night with more than 60 pieces of art on display.
Put together by Outcare Youth Services Program participants and Weld Square Primary School students, the artwork celebrates this year’s Naidoc theme Serving Country: Centenary and Beyond, which honours men and women who have fought for Australia.
Mayor Sylvan Albert said it was a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements.
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READ NOWOutcare resident artist John Cox said the exhibition drew youth from Swan, Kwinana and Armadale together to work with the school students on acknowledging Aboriginal heritage.
‘The kids we work with are all on orders or they’re waiting to go back into incarceration so we are working with them in a creative way that gets them to express their feelings,’ he said.
‘It’s creative abstraction; there’s a fair bit of indigenous work but there’s also a lot of abstract work.
‘There’s an installation about incarceration and recidivism and a big entry statement about footsteps and all people walking together.’
Weld Square PS Year 6 student Lily Dodd-Blight said the exhibition was a rare chance for the students to express themselves to other like-minded individuals.
‘Our mentor John showed us various techniques, told stories and showed us art forms,’ she said.
‘It was a hands-on learning activity that gave us eye-opening wisdom.’