Merrifield Primary School’s Xylie Tarr and Arcadia School’s Liam Olivier are this year’s recipients of the coveted triple gold award for the East London Eisteddfod (ELFest) Primary School’s Art Exhibition.
The exhibition, which started on June 2 and ends on Friday June 13, attracted more than 1,000 entries from 26 schools across the city, many of them earning gold and double golds.
Both Xylie and Liam received the rare triple gold award in the visual arts category because their pieces were conceptually strong, technically proficient and visually distinctive.
Xylie, who is in grade 7 has attended Belgravia Art School since she was in grade 1 and this commitment over many years is apparent in her award winning piece, The Embodiment of Mother. The project showcases the emotional maturity behind Xylie’s art style and introduces viewers to the range of mediums she is proficient at — even poetry.
This is the second consecutive time she has won the award and her teacher, Alix Hall, said the award means so much to Xylie because it is confirmation of her boundless creativity which is often an inclination that children are not rewarded for.
Hall said: “Xylie is very creative and expressive and usually these instincts are not encouraged and not praised and so for her to be fearless and be fully herself in her art and be awarded for it is awesome.”
Little Liam, who is still in grade 2, walks away with the triple gold for his interpretation of Van Gogh’s Starry Night.
Liam’s teacher, Valerie Liebenberg said: “My heart bursts with joy for Liam’s triumph. I am so proud of him and the other pupils at Arcadia School as our medal haul also included one double gold, seven golds, five silvers and three bronze. ”
This is the inaugural year that the ELFest has been split into separate primary and high school exhibitions.
Belgravia Art Centre’s Vasti Petzer said: “The quality of the work submitted by the schools is consistently improving.
She added: “The eisteddfod has always been a popular exhibition, and this year marks the first time the high school and primary school exhibitions are being held separately.
“This change was made due to the increasing number of entries in previous years, which allowed us to include more artworks overall.
“The quality of work each year is outstanding, and perhaps having a high school-focused exhibition helps elevate the standard.”
You can catch the last two days of the exhibition, which finishes today and tomorrow at 3.30pm at the Belgravia Art Centre. Entry is free
