The West Australian Pulse exhibition’s Act Belong Commit People’s Choice Award winner announcement

Melville Senior High School student Charlotte Simmons has won the Act Belong Commit People’s Choice Award at this year’s The West Australian Pulse exhibition with her artwork Echoes of Choeung Ek.

It is one of 49 artworks by 2021 Year 12 Visual Arts graduates from across 32 WA schools featured in the 30th year of the AGWA exhibition, which in 2022 saw The West Australian come on board as the major sponsor and renamed to The West Australian Pulse.

The free exhibition opened on April 20 where visitors have since been encouraged to vote for their favourite piece, with Echoes of Choeung Ek taking out the $2500 prize.

Melville Senior High School will also receive an AGWA workshop and tour package.

The winning artwork highlights Cambodia’s contemporary history involving the Khmer Rouge regime, incorporating Khmer writing and mixed media in the background to create a murky textural surface to represent the largest killing field in Cambodia, Choeung Ek.

The skulls in the background are images from that site.

“The woman, whilst having experienced the genocide of her people, acts as a motif of hope,” Simmons said.

“It acts as a subtle reminder that power can decay human morality and that such atrocities can happen in our lifetime.”

Inspired by a trip to Cambodia with her mum, Echoes of Choeung Ek is just the second painting Simmons has created, after choosing art for the first time as part of her ATAR subjects.

“I’d never painted or anything like that before and to be honest, chose the subject with the intent to drop it in Year 11 or 12 so I had a study session,” she said.

“But then I started to enjoy it and I really liked my art teacher and the class. Because I’m a perfectionist, I wanted to get really good at it. I think oil painting helped because I really liked the hyperrealism in my art and I just kept going until it looked to my standard.”

AGWA curatorial assistant Bahar Sayed said Simmons, working with great consideration and sincerity, had utilised colour and composition to remind us of a reality rather forgotten.

“Echoes of Choeung Ek brings to our attention the acts of horror and hope common throughout history,” Sayed said.

“The paint is built up, layers upon layers, reflecting the weight of violence. In the foreground of the painting is a figure of perseverance, a woman standing strong despite the brutality portrayed in the background.

“Demonstrating her understanding of colour, Simmons works with monotone and shading to capture resilience in the face of great cruelty.”

Simmons does not currently have much time for painting while studying a Bachelor of Philosophy at UWA, but said having her art selected for The West Australian Pulse had given her a lot of self-efficacy for the future, knowing she has the capability to achieve anything if she puts her mind to it.

Despite this, she is still in shock after receiving the phone call with news she had won the Act Belong Commit People’s Choice Award.

“I didn’t think people would have such a reaction to it,” the 18 year old said.

“On opening night I saw lots of people taking photos with it and I’ve had friends who I haven’t talked to in ages say ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know your artwork was at the Gallery” and send me a selfie of them with it.

“I’ve felt so appreciated with my artwork this whole time and now winning the Act Belong Commit People’s Choice Award, I have no word to describe how it feels. Choosing visual arts wasn’t to get a good ATAR score, it’s about the impact my artwork has had since then. It’s something more than just contributing to a number.”

Simmons said she planned to put the prize money towards further travel experiences and would love to revisit Cambodia.

Healthway chief executive Ralph Addis said he was proud to promote the Act Belong Commit health message in partnership with AGWA by sponsoring the People’s Choice Award.

“By supporting positive environments in which young people can express themselves through art, we are building a healthier WA,” Addis said.

“Congratulations to all of those involved.”

The West Australian Pulse exhibition is on until July 24.