2021 VCE Studio Arts external

assessment report
General comments
Most students were able to answer all eight questions in the examination and used the range of artworks in
the insert to support their responses to the questions that required them to refer to the stimulus material.

There were questions that extended the students’ understanding and knowledge of the Studio Arts study
design, and this challenged some students who had prepared responses for questions, while others were
able to write at length and demonstrate a very good understanding of the content in the study design. It was
good to see the selection and range of artists, both traditional and contemporary, that the students
responded to in Question 7 and the range of exhibitions, both virtual and physical, that students accessed
during the year. It was interesting to read responses of virtual exhibitions where it was evident students had
not only viewed the exhibition online, but they had researched any other information and resources galleries
offered online to support the exhibition.

Specific information
Note: Student responses reproduced in this report have not been corrected for grammar, spelling or factual
information.

This report provides sample answers, or an indication of what answers may have been included. Unless
otherwise stated, these are not intended to be exemplary or complete responses.

The statistics in this report may be subject to rounding resulting in a total more or less than 100 per cent.

Section A
For each of the questions in Section A, students were asked to select one artwork from the 13 artworks in
the detachable insert and use this as the basis for their response. Students were able to select the same
artwork or a different artwork for each question in Section A.

Question 1
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Average

% 1 1 6 14 21 20 14 11 7 4 5.0

The question asked students to select three elements and/or principles but some students tried to write
about all six (three elements and three principles), which was far too demanding and resulted in them not
being able to write enough detail required for the response. It is key that students practise using previous
examinations and understand the format used and exactly what they are being asked to write about.

Responses that scored highly were able to make direct links between the art element and/or principle with
the communication of ideas and meaning. They used appropriate art language, which clearly explained how

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the identified art element and/or principle was used by the artist to convey a certain mood or feeling on the
viewer. Responses that did not score well tended to list or describe the art element and/or principle without
making direct links to the suggested meanings communicated in the artwork.

Occasionally students incorrectly identified an art element and/or principle, using words such as ‘shadow’ or
‘depth’. It is important for students to familiarise themselves with the specific references for ‘art elements and
principles’ as specified in the VCAA Studio Arts support material.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

Johansson has utilized the art principle of unity through his amalgamation of the objects in his sculpture
such as an armchair, a typewriter, books and a clock. This communicates his ideas of obsolete
technologies and objects being categorized together as outdated and irrelevant. To voice his critique on
such notions, Johansson utilizes the art element of colour to contribute to his perspective in which
historical and non-modern objects and tools still have significant relevancy within the 21st century.
Furthermore, Johannsen exerts the art element of form by creating a rectangular cube out of the
historical objects he uses. This element communicates Johansson’s idea that obsolete technologies that
were once heavily present, are now rather used for decoration. The rectangular shape which looks similar
to a table or bedside table, verifies his perspectives, indicating his belief that nostalgic and historic items
that used to be so heavily utilized, are now nothing more than a decorative memory. Thus, Johansson’s
use of unity, colour and form signal his ideas in which obsolete technologies and objects are categorised
together as outdated and irrelevant in the 21st century, and critiques such notions by colouring the
objects in a red/orange colour scheme to promulgate how they are still relevant and undeserving of being
glamorised into nothing more than nostalgic décor.

Question 2
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Average

% 4 4 11 22 19 14 11 8 5 3 4.3

In Question 2 students were required to explain how the historical and cultural context of an artwork they
selected from the insert contributed to the materials, techniques and processes used in the artwork. The
understanding of materials and their place in history was often written about as well as events that were
happening at the time the work was made. Responses that scored highly were able to explain the historical
and cultural context and how this influenced the use of specific materials and techniques. They selected an
artwork with materials, techniques and processes that they were familiar with and were able to demonstrate
their knowledge and experience of these, including detailed descriptions of specific areas in the selected
artwork that reflected a point in history or a certain culture. They could define the steps in the process of
creating an artwork, for example the use of calcium carbonate and rabbit-skin glue to seal a canvas or the
use of an analogue camera or dark room processes, and were able to describe these in detail.

Some students misread the question and discussed how the historical and cultural context contributed to the
communication of ideas and meanings or the use of art elements and principles. Sometimes the term
‘process’ was not addressed; students needed to describe the sequential steps of the process involved in the
making of the artwork. Responses that did not score well tended to give a general description of the historical
and cultural context and did not address the specific areas of the question.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

Luis Valde’s is the artist of ‘economy of resources’ which is an installation of a small kitchen that is
rundown and in poor form. The historical context is the artwork being made in 2010 of post modernism
time in Chile. 2010 is a time of creative freedom, using different materials and techniques to offer
conceptual meaning to artwork this explains the use of cardboard as structure for the large-scale model.
Technology enabled cardboard to be thick and sturdy thus enabling the production, adhesive has also

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progressed enabling Valde’s to stick the cardboard together. As for the cultural context, the low economy
in Chile may have caused the artist to represent a more rugged aesthetic to the kitchen and home thus
the use of black outlined furniture such as the chair adds to the rough aesthetic of homes in that area.
This area of Chile being [im]poverished may also contribute to the rough joints of the cardboard seen in
the right wall symbolizing the foundations of homes to be unstable and not safe.

Question 3
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Average

% 3 3 12 25 26 18 9 4 3.8

In Question 3 students were to select an artwork from the insert and discuss how a public gallery would
prepare the artwork for transportation to a commercial gallery or other art space. Responses that scored
highly discussed a number of ways an artwork could be transported from a public gallery to an exhibition
space they identified. These responses detailed how an artwork could be wrapped safely, in bubble wrap or
acid-free tissue paper, placed in a crate padded with foam or a solander box and transported either by a
specialist removal truck or other form of transport and how the chosen artwork was handled during this
transportation process. Also included in these discussions were the purpose and method of using a condition
report both on site and at the destination. Responses that did not score well tended to discuss storage, which
was not relevant to the artwork chosen or did not include details relating to each gallery / art space in
transporting and receiving the artwork.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

In this artwork the artist used pencil and watercolour on paper which puts this artwork in the highly
sensitive category. Due to the artwork being highly sensitive the conservator of the public gallery would
have to store the artwork for transport in a solander box. A solander box is a large black box that is
airtight, dust free and protects the artwork from harmful light that could cause discolouration. As well as
being wrapped in a solander box the work would also be wrapped in acid-free tissue paper only being
handled with white linen gloves to protect the artwork from acidic damage. The solander box could also
be wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid collision damage during transportation. The condition of the transport
vehicle would also need to be kept at around 20-22° to avoid any heat damage while in transit. As well as
that a condition report should also be done by the curator upon start of transport and end of transport to
the commercial gallery to determine if any damage occurred.

Section B
Question 4
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Average

% 2 2 6 18 24 17 12 10 6 3 4.7

In Question 4 students were required to describe how they developed their conceptual possibilities in the
Studio process and how the development of their conceptual possibilities influenced their selection of
materials, techniques and processes. Some students had little understanding of the term ‘conceptual
possibilities’. These are not based around one idea and do not follow a linear path in their development.
They are also ideas, research and information based around the development of an artwork, which includes
the materials, techniques and processes. The materials, techniques and processes would be explored and
manipulated and would then be used for the making of an artwork.

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Responses that scored highly often linked their inspirations to the development of conceptual possibilities.
They also carefully selected artists and developed ideas either around the artists’ ideas or their use and
development of materials and techniques. In doing this, their work went in different directions, exploring the
many possibilities posed to them.

Responses that did not score well missed creating the link between the conceptual possibilities and the
materials, techniques and processes. They listed these without going into any further explanation of their
choices, or did not explain the conceptual possibilities in detail. Some students talked entirely about their
conceptual possibilities.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

During my studio process I developed my conceptual possibilities by first researching my key artists of
inspiration Jenny Saville and Lucien Freud. Both artists work in oil paint following a figurative style to
explore the true dense texture of human flesh as shown in their self-portraits. As both artists
predominantly worked in oil paint, I decided to explore this medium and use it to portray my own personal
body and expose my imperfect features in a self-portrait. After researching Saville’s and Freud’s painting
technique, I trialled the medium in a range of ways, such as by employing a palette knife to scrape and
drag paint across my paper, by using a wide flat brush coated in several different values to make each
brushstroke highly visible just like Freud, by layering wet oil paint over a dried layer to create a very
dense texture in a similar way to Saville. The sort of underpainting technique, in particular, allowed me to
establish tonal variation first and the focus on texture and fine details in the later stages of my artmaking
process. This technique is highly evident in my first potential direction, in addition to wide thick visible
brushstrokes, which highlighted my conceptual idea being the male human body and density of flesh.

Question 5
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Average

% 1 2 8 13 16 23 15 11 7 3 4.9

In Question 5 students were required to explain how they refined the use of materials and techniques from
their potential directions to the production of their finished artworks. ‘Refine’ was the key word in this
question and it was overlooked in a number of responses. Responses that scored highly gave clear evidence
of how the refinement was developed through the use of materials and techniques. Students who
approached the question in this way made direct connections to their potential directions and made direct
reference to the aesthetic qualities used in a detailed and descriptive way. Some students just wrote about
the process of how they produced their artworks; they may have mentioned materials, techniques and
processes in their response, but omitted the refining process and just discussed the studio process.
Responses that did not score well often identified the potential directions but did not explain how materials
and techniques were used to make the finished artwork.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

Whilst I used many of the same materials and techniques from my potential directions (PD) to my finished
artworks, I heavily refined them prior to my completion of my artworks. In my first final artwork, I
developed my materials from my PD’s by accelerating the amount of embroidered depictions of the ideas.
My PD’s depicted a single representation of the ideal body type and in my final artworks, I had completed
10. This intensified my critique on the ideal image society praises. Further, I developed my use of
embroidery text in my final artwork by using the phrase ‘Courtesy of the Patriarchy’ to clarify my stance
on the subject matter of body image. Whilst my PD’s locked this clarity in my critiques. For my second
artwork, I refined my technique of photographing a projection of the ideal against the ordinary. In my
projection PD’s, my camera technique produced low-quality, fuzzy photos where there is difficulty in
perceiving the present juxtaposition. Thus, in the creation of the final artwork, I precisely set the aperture
and shutter speed to precisely show the juxtaposition and contrast of the ideal and the ordinary.

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Question 6
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Average

% 2 2 9 26 26 19 11 4 4.0

In Question 6 students were required to discuss how the presentation of their finished artworks demonstrated
the cohesive relationship and intended ideas of their artworks. Responses that scored highly often separated
the answer into two parts: the first addressed how the presentation of the two artworks created cohesive
relationships; the second addressed how the presentation of the two artworks communicated ideas that often
linked back to the ideas discussed in their exploration proposal and potential directions. Some responses
also illustrated how the two artworks were displayed to consolidate the ideas expressed in their written
answer.

Responses that did not score well generally talked about a cohesive relationship simply being the use of the
same materials in two different artworks. Some students only referred to the narrative linking them. Few of
these responses only addressed the physical nature of presentation, with little consideration to how the work
was hung, the colour of the walls or the lighting.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

My film “Businessman” was displayed on a chunky 2000 Panasonic TV I found on a nature strip. The
regressive technology refers to the man’s desire to retreat to a simpler time. The nostalgic cathode-ray
tube monitor glarily illuminates a ring around the man, intended to display his alien disharmony as a
corporate man in nature. The small TV size provokes curiosity, inviting a small audience to gather and
watch. Above the TV, hangs, my charcoal series “The Boardroom”. Each of the smirking corrupt men are
lined highly up in elegant frames, just like important portraits of important people. The height makes them
look down upon the viewers disgustingly intimidating. However, their satirical depiction gives a comedic
effect, designed to highlight their appalling corruption, and take away some of their power. I aim to
criticize the industry that allows men like Henry Weinstein, Jeffery Epstein, Rupert Murdoch and Donald
Trump to thrive. The cohesive emblem of the black suit in tie shown in both my artworks portrays my
criticism of the corporate capitalist industry.

Section C
Question 7
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Average

% 4 2 3 5 10 13 13 14 11 9 8 5 3 6.5

In this extended response question students were required to analyse how two artists they had studied in
Unit 3 Area of Study 3 had used subject matter to demonstrate aesthetic qualities. Responses that scored
highly had a clear understanding of subject and how their selected artists used it. They also had a clear
understanding of the aesthetic qualities and demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of how subject
matter contributes to the aesthetic qualities. Some students did not clearly articulate what subject matter the
artists were using and their response became very vague as this hampered them in addressing the aesthetic
qualities.

It is advised that students should not prepare responses for the examination as some students used a
prepared essay response for Question 7. They found it very difficult to manipulate this into a response that
fully answered the question. Students who only used one artist for their response were only able to score a
maximum of six marks.

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The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

Eugene Von Guerard, an Austrian (born in 1811) oil on canvas artist, who moved to Australia during the
gold rush, in his artwork, ‘Govett’s leap and Grose River Valley’, 1873 evokes a sense of wonderment,
demonstrated through the awe-inspiring valley, in the Blue Mountains. Von Guerard’s use of diminutive
figures in the foreground being contrastingly out sized by a majestic scene of nature as the large scale
mountains and valley towers over the figures. Von Guerard’s use of German Romanticism inspired sky
further evokes the sense of wonderment and creates a feeling of ablazement of the beauty of nature.

Similarly, the New Zealand born (born in 1917) assemblage artist, Rosalie Gascoigne in her artwork, ‘The
Crop 1’ 1976, which features the use of salsify heads, galvanised wire and galvanized iron is an
assemblage that mimiates her inspiration from Japanese Ikebana. Her artwork represents the subject of
an Australian crop this demonstrates the feeling of the hot Australian environment as the materials used
show the effect of the sun. As Gascoigne quotes ‘It’s not about how it looks, it’s about how you feel about
it’, to me, when I view her artwork I feel a sense of pride as it makes me feel Australia as it shows the
damaging effect of the Australian outback and what it does to abandoned materials.

Question 8
Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Average

% 7 2 5 8 10 13 11 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 6.2

In Question 8 students were asked to explain the considerations for conservation and presentation in one
artwork from a public gallery and one artwork from another exhibition space. There was a good diversity of
art spaces discussed for this question, with spaces from the city, regions and online. Virtual exhibitions (an
online presentation of a physical exhibition) were discussed particularly well by the students who ‘visited’ the
virtual site and they were able to source specific information from gallery websites to support the online
resource of the exhibition.

Responses that scored highly made reference to both exhibitions and were able to write at length about
conservation and presentation of artworks in the selected exhibition. These responses often mentioned the
name of the curator and their role in the presentation of the artworks. Some were even able to quote the
curator on the decisions they made for display. These responses clearly outlined the differences between the
two selected spaces. Responses that did not score well still had a tendency to discuss one art space in more
detail to another and to rely on conservation methods rather than the presentation aspect.

The following is an example of a high-scoring response.

The NGV: Ian Potter Centre’s 20th Century Collection houses the most iconic and aesthetically and
culturally significant artworks and holds the highest conservation practices out of all galleries. An artwork
exhibited here, arguably one of the highlights of the collection is John Brack’s Collins Street, 5 pm (1955).
As it is an oil painting, the NGV uses luxometer to maintain a LUX level of 150 to ensure minimal UV
damage. They also utilize Tungsten bulbs to ensure that the UV is minimal as well as allowing no natural
light in at all. Because the painting and canvas are delicate, particularly if the temperature is fluctuating, it
may distort because of this. Using a thermohydrograph, the NGV is enabled to monitor and control the
internal environment, keeping the exhibition space at 20°C +2°C and at a relative humidity of 50% +5%.
This is crucial because if the humidity was below 45%, the painting can crack on the canvas my warp and
if it is above 65%, veneers will detach and mould will grow. The NGV also has an Integrated Pest
Management in which they monitor bugs and pests that can harm the integrity of the artworks by banning
food and drinks, having doors to close at the end of exhibitions and regular cleaning after and before the
exhibition. Collins Street. 5 pm is framed by a simple wooden frame with no perspex glass so that the
audience can admire the brushstrokes without any barriers. It also insures a cohesive link between his
artwork and the luxurious feel of the whole exhibition. Either side of Collins Street, 5 pm is Brack’s other
works: The barbershop (1952) and The Bar (1954) in order to highlight some of Brack’s most famous

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artwork. This painting is placed in a section room alongside other 1950s and early 1960s art. The walls
are white to offer the best viewing experience for the viewer (head curator David Hurlston) and to allow
the artworks to truly be the focus.

Forty Five Downstair’s Making Nonsense by Janno MacLaughlin was a commercial exhibition that was
intended to be a “hug” to Melbourne due to the lockdowns. As it is a commercial gallery with the intent on
selling these artworks and a high turnover period, the gallery does not have any true conservation
practices (head curator/gallery supervisor). This can be noted by the large window allowing diffused
lighting in which would not be acceptable for some of the works in a public gallery. Her large acrylic
canvas Raindance No.1 (2020) is directly exposed to this lighting. There were studio lights present and
presumably at a LUX of level 150 to 50 LUX as some artworks were textiles. The internal environment
was monitored by simple mechanics such as an air-conditioner but not a thermohydrograph. It was
definitely more exposed to elemental nature as the entrance was quite open to the outside.

Rain dance number No.1 (2020) was presented alongside three other same size canvases in a 2 x 2
diptych formation. The canvas left minimal space at the top of the walls which were painted white to allow
for extreme contrast between the various colours of the canvas and the other artworks. The entire studio
was utilised and it was one big, open space, thus creating an overwhelming sensory overload as soon as
one steps into the space. Thus, really feeling like it genuinely is a hug to Melbourne.

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