Since the advent of the mirror artists have continued to make themselves the subject matter of their own work, whether through in-depth conceptual exploration of their psyche or in a more concentrated focus on technique.

Whatever the motivation artists from all cultures, time periods and mediums have attempted the exploration of self.

Year 11 students at Patterson River explore the timeless theme of self-portraiture in Unit 1.  Students study a variety of artists from various cultures and time periods.  They learn to understand how the process and materials they use help to communicate meaning within an artwork. 

An emphasis is placed on the formal elements and students undertake experimentation with a variety of mediums. 

We investigate how an artist’s vision might not be objective. Artists and audiences have different approaches to seeing and how this is most evident in the “Selfie”.

In this task we discuss the use of recycled and sustainable materials and reflect on global issues.  We discuss process versus concept and experiment with a range of media.  Students gain confidence in their art making by producing these stunning results using a very simple technique of cut and paste.

Rachael Miller
Head of Arts
Patterson River Secondary Collage
Suitable for VCE