Izzy Craven can't always understand her Filipino grandmother.
But when the young Darwin artist presented her award-winning self-portrait, no language was needed.
"She was just very excited when she saw it, because she still actually has the scarf that I painted," she said.
"She said something in Filipino that I can't really understand, but she was very happy."
Navigating cultural identity was a central theme in Izzy's self-portrait, which earned her the people's choice award at a prestigious art exhibition for Year 12 students in Darwin.
Now in its 30th year, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory's (MAGNT) annual Exit Art exhibition showcases the talents of promising students from across the Territory.
Titled 'Your Best Australian Girl', Izzy's tongue-in-cheek self-portrait features a scarf made by her Filipino grandmother, a traditional Korean hat from her mother and an assortment of Asian and Western food products.
"Like, I don't know that language at all. I'm Korean and Filipino, and I didn't know that language or anything about it. And the only thing that connected me was food."
Izzy said the piece was also inspired by a song titled 'Your Best American Girl' by Japanese-American artist Mitski, which explores the concept of feeling like a foreigner in your own country.
This balancing act between honouring family history and participating in mainstream Australian culture struck a chord among young artists and audiences in the Top End, according to exhibition coordinator Kellie Joswig.
For other young artists, climate change was a hot topic.
"Some artists are really passionate about the environment and trying to express those ideas through their artwork through sustainability, the landscape and housing sustainability," she said.
Teacher Sarah Taylor said her students held the Exit Art exhibition in high esteem.
"It's just like the end game for them. And to see that their work is exhibited in that scenario, then it seems like we're not just painting and cutting out pieces of paper anymore.
"There is substance and it goes somewhere. It's not just to make something pretty, obviously."
