Year 9-10 Visual Art and Graphic Design Monash University Excursion

Year 9-10 Visual Art and Graphic design students happily commuted on our shuttle bus to Monash University Caulfield to visit MUMA (Monash University Art Museum) and participated in a visual-thinking strategy workshop designed to simply help students better understand and retain information related to concepts: words when associated with images. The pedagogical premise of this workshop is based on evidence that for students to understand information effectively, they need to see it and be in a student-centred setting to have an all-inclusive discussion with each other.

All students participated and applied visual art language that impressed Monash University Museum educator, Melissa Belford. I was very proud that students were able to show their prior knowledge and had the courage and enthusiasm to speak about what they could see using formal art/design language. Students were able to hypothesise a meaning and simultaneously bounce off other peers’ ideas that were contrary without judgement. Well done, ladies!

Students were given a wonderful opportunity to go behind the scenes of the art museum to receive a lecture on art conservation. It was in this workshop where students got to see up close a very well-known conceptual Australian artist, Patricia Picinini’s still life sculpture below.

Thereafter, students were toured by head of Architecture/Design educator and an undergraduate design student. Students were toured through the graphic design, architecture design, fine art and visual art faculties. Thankfully they were able to meet and see students working in some of their studios.

To conclude, students gained insight into university life with a wealth of knowledge which will be transferrable into their theoretical and practical practice. In conjunction, students gained an understanding of how the art/design field functions at a university from the public MUMA and the faculties and facilities on offer.

Thank-you Monash University Art and Design Faculty staff, students and MUMA staff for inspiring and accommodating us!