SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.- The annual ARTEXPRESS exhibition is one of the gallery抯 most popular exhibitions, providing up-to the minute insights into students� creativity and the issues and ideas that are relevant to them. Drawn from works submitted for the NSW Higher School Certificate visual art examination, the ARTEXPRESS exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales presents 52 exceptional art works. The works include paintings, drawing, photography, textile and fibre, ceramics, film and video, digital animation and sculpture.

Tristan Sharp, senior co-ordinator, education programs, Art Gallery of New South Wales says:

揟his year抯 selection is underpinned by more traditional media practices. There is a strong presence of painting, drawing and sculpture. These works offer a counterpoint to the always prevalent and impressive power of contemporary photographic, film, digital and graphic images within the exhibition which often engage in similar themes.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales brings a professional armature and large audience to ARTEXPRESS. This experience for the exhibiting students is inspiring and motivational, a pathway leading to expanding connections and ongoing relationships with the gallery抯 collections, histories, traditions, and perhaps even to discovering a place amongst them.�

For full details on ARTEXPRESS at the gallery and the other venues together with the regional tour, visit www.insideartexpress.com.au (from 12 February). Information about all the exhibiting artists, together with a virtual exhibition tour and, for the first time, a curator's talk podcast (both available from 21 February) can be found here.

ARTEXPRESS is a joint initiative of the NSW Department of Education and Training and the Board of Studies NSW in association with the Art Gallery of New South Wales.