This engaging workshop invites students to explore themes of identity and self-expression through wearable materials. Led by artist Nathan Beard, students will reflect on their own identities while drawing inspiration from future-facing art practices.
Perfect for Visual Arts, Media and Civics classrooms, this session encourages critical thinking, cultural understanding and creative confidence.
Students will explore identity, cultural storytelling and self-expression through hands-on artmaking.
The workshop will focus on Beard’s artwork Noi, part of the In Bloom exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Noi is crafted from Thai silk sarongs worn by Beard’s late mother, repurposed into a deeply personal and culturally rich piece.
Students will reflect on meaningful garments and textiles in their own lives and explore material folding techniques to create an artwork that reflects identity, memory and celebration.
About Nathan Beard
Nathan Beard is a Narrm/Melbourne-based multidisciplinary artist whose work draws from his Australian-Thai heritage. His practice explores culture, memory and authenticity through sculpture and photography.
Beard holds a BA (Art) with First Class Honours from Curtin University and has exhibited nationally, including at Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (WA), 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (NSW), TarraWarra Museum of Art (VIC), Firstdraft (NSW), and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. He was a finalist in the Ramsay Art Prize (2021) and the Churchie National Emerging Art Prize (2020).
Curriculum connections
- Learning Areas: Visual Arts (Exploring and Creating)
- General Capabilities: Creative and Critical Thinking, Intercultural Capability
Materials list
Registered participants will receive a reminder email one week before their session. Suggested materials include:
- Paper or fabric strips (e.g. recycled textiles, ribbons)
- Styrofoam balls and cones for bases
- Cutting tools (including scissors or fabric scissors for repurposing old clothes, craft knifes for carving styrofoam)
- Fastening tools (staplers, dressmaking pins)
- Bamboo skewers for fastening base components
- Optional decorative items (TBC)
Students are encouraged to use recycled, natural or found objects to inspire sustainable creativity.
