The West Australian Pulse 2022: Haunting depiction of domestic violence wins inaugural Editor’s Choice Award

A “haunting” work tackling the taboo topic of domestic violence has taken out the inaugural Editor’s Choice Award at The West Australian Pulse 2022, previously known as Year 12 Perspectives. One of 49 works on show at the Art Gallery of WA until July 24, Home is a two-part oil painting drawing on the personal experiences of Governor Stirling Senior High School graduate Tanami Dundas-Steedman. One frame of the diptych shows a small child’s frightened eyes peering through a crack in a doorway, while the other has hands raised in fearful anticipation of a blow. Ms Dundas-Steedman, who claimed the $2500 prize at the official opening of Pulse at AGWA on Tuesday evening, said painting Home was “difficult, but once I finished the piece I was satisfied”. “I was content and I felt a huge weight was off my shoulders,” she said. She described her work as “social commentary” challenging the stigma faced by survivors of domestic abuse. “I want (viewers) not to feel sympathy for the victim but to ask themselves ‘How is this OK?’ “And think about how the people who witness abuse are also survivors of abuse, even if they haven’t been physically harmed,” added Ms Dundas-Steedman, whose mother Jane Dundas was part of Year 12 Perspectives in 1997. “I do think it’s an empowering work.” West Australian Newspapers editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie, who decided the Editor’s Choice Prize in consultation with AGWA’s Youth Advisory Panel, said domestic violence was Australia’s “secret shame”. “Tanami’s work stood out because it was such a mature portrayal of an insidious issue that society as a whole is only now starting to take as seriously as it should,” he said. “For that to change we need to have frank discussions about its devastating impacts on too many lives. “To see a high school student willing to start one of those conversations through an amazing piece of art is really inspiring.” AGWA Youth Advisory Panel spokesperson Jacob Mangan said Home displayed high level of technical skill and effectively communicated a difficult topic. He described Ms Dundas-Steedman’s award-winning work as “haunting”. Mr Mangan said the calibre of Pulse this year was “extraordinary”, adding that the 2022 exhibition covered some “unexpected” topics. He highlighted impressive works evoking rural or farming themes, such as Hale School student Mitchell Thompson’s Stirling Ranges-set painting and sculpture Wildfire and Iona Presentation College graduate Bridget Walker’s hay bale installation W.A.S. Kohlbardi – Sheep Farm. Mr Mangan described Pulse as a distillation of the State’s best young high school artists. Mr De Ceglie said he was also “blown away” by the talent on display at this year’s Pulse exhibition, naming Noa Williams’ punk installation Animals, Finnity McHoull’s pharmaceutical still life Candy and Juliet Caliva’s surreal family portrait Capgras Delusion as other stand-out works. “The State is in good shape when you consider the issues and ideas being raised by our next generation of cultural leaders,” he remarked. “I can’t recommend enough that everyone should see this exhibition. “It’s a rare window into what our youth think,” Mr De Ceglie added. “And you won’t be disappointed when you hear what they’re saying.” Ms Dundas-Steedman’s mother Jane Dundas said she was “extremely proud” that her daughter followed in her footsteps to take part in the annual survey of Year 12 artistic talent. “I’m a very proud mum and I think her work is very brave,” she said. “She’s very talented.” Ms Dundas had two works in the 1997 exhibition, Reflections and The Unspoken – the latter also painted from the perspective of the perpetrator. The St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls graduate said that even quarter of a century ago, Year 12 Perspectives was a “very prestigious” exhibition. “The exhibition itself was an incredible vehicle for me and others to speak about issues we thought were important,” Ms Dundas said. Ms Dundas-Steedman said that growing up with an artistic mother was “very helpful and inspiring”. Selected by all submitted artists for this year’s exhibition, the Pulse Peer Award, worth $2500, was also announced last night. That award went to Bailey Arundell from John XXIII College for his work Effeminate Flamboyance 2021. The West Australian Pulse 2022 is at the Art Gallery of WA to July 24.