Ruby Anriquez-Acevedo sets to exhibit her project at the NGV

Ruby Anriquez-Acevedo is a visual merchandising student and took part in the 'Best of the Best' fundraising exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. Photo: Shawn Smits

Caroline Springs resident Ruby Anriquez-Acevedo spent weeks working on a project to be exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria last month.

The 22-year-old tells Sumeyya Ilanbey all her hard work paid off …

 

What’s your connection to the area?

I moved out from Sunshine about 15 years ago. We lived with my grandma, and when the time was right we moved over to Caroline Springs.

 

What do you like about Caroline Springs?

Everyone is friendly and the parks are beautiful.

 

Where’s your favourite place to hang out?

I do like the park, and the town centre’s pretty good – you’ve got a variety of cafes and restaurants. And there’s more than one place to go to.

 

What would you change if you could?

I don’t know, to be honest. Maybe an upgrade to the roads, a bit more lighting in a couple of streets. Maybe a police station that’s open 24 hours so, if anything were to happen, I wouldn’t have to wait for police from Melton or Sunshine to come down.

 

Can you tell me a little bit about your exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria?

We worked as a team [with other Kangan Institute visual merchandising students].

We did what we had to – we stayed back after school hours to make sure it was done.

The theme was Alice in Wonderland-cross-mental asylum …

We had this massive chandelier tree and we had IV drip bags coming down from them.

We had blue string lights attached to the chandeliers, and they were covered in medical supplies and old toys – stuff you’d see in an old asylum.

I really enjoyed getting behind the scenes, going early in the mornings, the public viewing.

Then going back there to bring it all down at the end.

 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

When I get the brief, I think about what could go really well, what is it that the client would like.

I like a lot of simple and modern things.

So I do go to Pinterest for ideas – and often look at magazines and have a peek there.

Anything can give you inspiration.