Madelyn Forster, a 2025 Clonard College VCE graduate, was selected as an Art Making & Exhibiting student to be part of the Future Creatives Exhibition held at the Geelong Gallery.

This annual exhibition celebrates the achievements and creative practice of young emerging artists living in Geelong and the surrounding region who completed their Victorian Certificate of Education in 2025.

Future Creatives showcases young peoples’ creative talents in art and design and provides a valuable opportunity to support the professional development of career pathways and future tertiary studies in art and design.

Madelyn is following her dream of having a career in the Fashion & Textiles Industry and currently studying a Bachelor of Fashion Design at RMIT. Madelyn worked extremely hard throughout the year to achieve her goal and we couldn’t be more proud of her efforts, wishing her every success for her future in design. Read about Madelyn’s artwork below;

Artwork Title: Her ruin, her reign 2025
Materials: Linen, silk, satin, ribbon, beading, lace, boning, eyelets, tulle, assorted recycled materials, eyeshadow

Artist statement:
Her ruin, her reign reimagines Marie Antoinette as a resurrected ‘queen of the apocalypse’: headless, powerful, and draped in a gown of both elegance and ruin. The silhouette—layered lace, bows, and exaggerated volume—is influenced by Rococo grandeur, while tea-stained fabrics mimic dirt and age. Scraps of second-hand materials such as bedsheets, tablecloths, and curtains symbolise decay and rebirth.

Pearls and red beads layered across the corset represent exposed ribs, while blood-red accents cut through the delicacy of the lace. The garment references Vivienne Westwood’s rebellious responses to history, Galliano’s theatrical storytelling and Dior’s opulent romanticism.

This dress challenges ideals of femininity and fashion. It is a statement about women reclaiming strength in the aftermath of destruction, about elegance surviving ruin, and about how fashion can be recycled, reshaped and reborn.

The exhibition is open Saturday 28 February to Sunday 17 May 2026 or you can access the exhibition online at  Future Creatives | Geelong Gallery

Sally Gray