November 21, 2024
An artwork by Murgon State High School student Ian Saltner will be shown at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) next year after it won a major award at a recent exhibition.
“No Justice. No Peace. We Can’t Breathe” received an Excellence Award at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery’s annual Creative Generation – Excellence Awards in Visual Art 2024 exhibition.
Other Excellence Award recipients were Kyla Loyola (Pittsworth State High School), Charlie Dawson (Lockyer District State High School), Emmalise Hogden (Goondiwindi State High School) and Rachel Williams (Mary Mackillop College Catholic College).
Excellence winners from across Queensland will be exhibited at GOMA from May 31 to August 31, 2025.
“No Justice. No Peace. We Can’t Breathe” is an acrylic work on canvas and was featured during Murgon SHS’s Arts Night in September.
It was inspired by the artworks of the late Gordon Bennett, one of Queensland’s most important modern artists, and American neo-expressionist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Both artists won renown for exploring black identity and power structures in society.
Ian manipulated different layers of fluorescent and ultra-violet paints in his work, creating a different viewing experiences in different lighting conditions.
