Thomas Crack burns his art, he "puts holes in it", scratches it to pieces and paints it with abstract marks - not because he's not proud of it; it's in fact the opposite.
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For Crack, his work is about sharing his self discovery and pain.
"I essentially destroyed this work to achieve the end outcome," he said standing amid his cracking, agonised pieces now on display at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery.
"I hope when people view my work that they feel involved with it; I want them to have their own perspective and to feel immersed."
The budding artist - a St Patrick's College student studying art as part of his Tasmanian Certificate of Education - was chosen as one of several year 11 and 12 students selected to display at QVMAG for the annual ArtRage exhibition.
The show has a 29-year history of picking the best of the state's budding student artists in an effort to foster their artistic growth - gathering their works for a touring exhibition - and is on display until Tuesday, April 2, at QVMAG.
"When I found out that I was chosen for ArtRage, I was so honoured," Crack said.
"I've wanted to be a part of this for so long, it's such a big deal within our school, and to now be a part of it feels like a dream and I'm loving every second of it."
The eclectic exhibition attracts local and interstate visitors on its tour from Launceston to the North West Coast and Hobart, and has developed a statewide reputation for enabling students to share their perspectives, stories, and experiences.
ArtRage has also led many of the previous featured students to go on and showcase their works in exhibitions and solo showcases at QVMAG.
"It's great to know that QVMAG has a touchpoint at every stage of someone's journey," QVMAG's Creative Arts and Cultural Services manager Shane Fitzgerald said.
Other local artists in ArtRage 2023 included Launceston College student Millie Snell, whose exhibition series of paintings comment on World War One soldiers and the emotional and physical effects they went through.
"I use abstract elements to show facial deformities and a touch of realism to show their pain around their eyes," Snell said.
"I was so excited to find out that I would be a part of ArtRage this year and it's really cool to see that my work will be on display across the state."
ArtRage is on display at the Art Gallery at Royal Park from December 16, 2023, to April 2, 2024, with free entry.
Declan Durrant
Declan Durrant has a passion for poetry, visual arts, and theatre, and is The Examiner's arts critic and culture reporter. Got a story? Get in touch: declan.durrant@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Declan Durrant has a passion for poetry, visual arts, and theatre, and is The Examiner's arts critic and culture reporter. Got a story? Get in touch: declan.durrant@austcommunitymedia.com.au
