Pictured above: Jack Rowe, Ria Alva and Grace Carter with the winning artwork
Creativity continues to thrive at the University of Sydney, and this year’s Palladian Visual Art competition was no exception. Representing St Paul’s, students came together to produce a truly unique and collaborative piece that earned them first place in the visual arts category.
Led by Ria Alva (BArch II) who curated the work, the project took a fresh approach to the traditionally individual-focused category. Ria’s vision was to create a community mural that captured the emotional connection between music and visual expression. She posed a simple but powerful question to members of the Group Vocal Ensemble and audience participants: “How do you feel when you hear music?”
The result was Let Every Voice Be Heard—a mural composed of 90 individually painted postcards, each representing a wave of emotion. With the help of Anna Morrison (BPPE I) and Nick Carmody (BComm/BAdvStud I), Ria added finishing touches to unify the pieces into a flowing shoreline of sound and sentiment.
“The waves become a shoreline of change, with each note feeding the wave,” said Ria. “The chorus of heard voices is a reminder that transformation in sound and society is a communal process.”
What made this entry especially meaningful was its inclusivity. Students who don’t typically engage in visual art were encouraged to contribute, making the mural a true reflection of the diverse talents and voices within the College. Grace Carter (BA/BAdvStud II) was also part of the Art team entering an individual work on behalf of St Paul’s. Each college is asked to provide two works of art for the judges.
The College community extends warmest congratulations to all the students involved in this inspiring and well-deserved win!
Palladian Visual Art Results:
- 1st Place – St Paul’s College (3 points)
- 2nd Place – Wesley College (2 points)
- 3rd Place (tie) – Women’s College & Sancta Sophia College (0.5 points each)
Overall Palladian Points Standings:
- Wesley College – 12
- Sancta Sophia College – 11
- St Andrew’s College – 10
- St Paul’s College – 8
- Women’s College – 3.5
- St John’s College – 3.5
