Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Whitecliffe Fine Arts graduates create compelling and powerful visual expressions of their ideas. By understanding and operating within the ever-expanding field of visual art, they learn to adapt quickly, think critically, and take a lead in shaping contemporary culture.

The development of a sustainable art practice through a variety of creative media is the cornerstone of Fine Arts study at Whitecliffe. Students explore traditional and contemporary materials, techniques and approaches in relation to their projects. Each student's understanding of theoretical and visual issues is developed and challenged in order to help them position their work in relation to relevant national and international art.

Exploration

Fine Arts students develop skills and experience with painting, printmaking, photography, video, digital media and spatial installation. From entering the Fine Arts major in year two, students respond to set assignments which develop formal and conceptual skills while leaving latitude for individual thematic interpretation. As students progress they are encouraged to reflect upon the strengths of their work and develop their own creative voice. This process enables them to have an increasing hand in the development of their own programmes of study while remaining under the close supervision of lecturers.

Students majoring in Fine Arts they are mainly situated in St Georges Bay Road Studios and are assigned their own studio facilities with access seven days a week.

In addition to receiving regular feedback on their work throughout the course (sometimes from external sources), students must stage assessment exhibitions within their studios at the end of each semester. These exhibitions are a formal assessment requirement that also provides an opportunity for students to showcase their work. It is both an intensely testing and rewarding experience essential for emerging artists.

Exhibitions

The Pearce Gallery provides an excellent site for students, faculty and visiting artists to exhibit. Gallery exhibitions expose students to the work of professional contemporary artists and enhance the relationship between Whitecliffe students, faculty and the contemporary arts community. An increasing number of students are exploring additional exhibition initiatives involving commercial galleries, shops, warehouses and billboards.

Beyond

Graduates have taken up careers as full-time practising artists, opened their own galleries and worked within the arts industry. Our course is structured to produce BFA students with a high degree of flexibility and a broad range of skills, setting them up to be aware of their place in the art world. A number of graduates lecture at high schools and tertiary institutions. Whitecliffe BFA graduates have also achieved a high level of success in gaining places in MFA programmes nationally and internationally. Refer to page 7 of the prospectus for further details.