The National Portrait Gallery at Commonwealth Place will exhibit Headspace 8: The Journey from 15 September until 4 November 2007.  The exhibition represents works by secondary school students from years 7 to 12 from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland and will showcase approximately 170 works.

 

This year’s theme calls upon students to consider the concept of ‘The Journey’. Through their work, in a myriad of mediums, this year students have explored their conceptions of journeying and travel creatively. They have produced works that show, for example, the passage of time, a personal quest; ways in which we navigate; a choice of direction; a journey remembered; a journey imagined; what are you going towards?; what would it mean to go back?; the point of departure; or arriving at your destination.

 

Underpinning the Headspace project is the belief that portraiture is a valuable, potent and pertinent art form through which secondary students can explore aspects of themselves, their communities, and the world as it is – or might be. The Headspace project gives young artists the chance to reflect on their work, to see their progress, and to be stimulated by the work of other students to develop in new ways.