Collapsing 100 years of art and design into one exhibition must have been a monumental project, just visiting the display is a tour de force. But anyone the least bit interested in art history or art education in Perth will find this overwhelming collection of creativity a must see. One word of advice though, while navigating through the galleries and studios, keep your elbows close to your sides as the space between exhibits is narrow in places.

Upon entering the main gallery space we're confronted with a visual barrage but our resolve to get through is toughened by the bronze rhinoceros that greets us. After appreciating Ron Gomboc's work, turn left and head toward the display marked Design for Industry. Ingenuity and style is beautifully presented here in concept drawings, chests of drawers and a variety of functional items. Next check out the Graphics section for fine illustrations and clever examples of advertising imagery. And don't miss the Jewellery display, it's well worth the effort to find it as viewing is a pleasure, particularly the ring and brooch by Craig Peters.

With one or two exceptions, exhibits in the Fine Arts, Fashion and Film & Media sections on this floor let the team down.

Head up the stairs where worthy history lessons are learned from the exhibitions in each of the three studios. 'Early Years Linton & Co' offers delightful works by Kitch Currie including lovely leather buttons and stunning silver necklaces. 'Between the Wars: AB Webb & Iris Francis' presents inspiring pencil studies drawn from plaster casts and charming watercolour flower studies by Doris Selkirk. The display of Commercial Art too is an enlightening experience. Norman Aisbett's newspaper cartoons and Flora Borbone's sales catalogue illustrations transport us to another era as they record political events and social conventions. The skills displayed are eye-opening.

Unfortunately the excellent collection of ceramics is difficult to view. Each presenter offers their best but cobbled together in such a small area it's hard to appreciate the different artists' nuances with the medium.

Printmaking, Architecture and Photography displays along the mezzanine provide great satisfaction. Janis Nedela is well represented in the print media, justifiably so, but also appreciated is Memmuna Vila-Bogdanich's exciting multi-coloured abstraction and Frederica Chitty's well controlled '3 in one' etching. The highlights of the architectural display are John Spence Finney's excellent watercolour, ink and pencil drawings of Egyptian, Roman and Gothic features and Ean McDonald's drawings of Grecian, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. After all that static exactitude, the display of photographic art illustrates how an equally well trained eye can capture engaging images of spontaneous action, emotions of joy or pathos and interesting people.

The West End Gallery exhibits works by members of the Art Department from the 1930's to the 1970's. Many familiar names are found here and their work reveals how the art staff certainly knew their stuff. There's Madeleine Clear's grape gatherer's buckets in wine colours, Hans Arkeveld's sculpted heads that morph material into life and some lovely looks at the landscape from Fremantle to the Darling Ranges, circa 1930's, by Leith Angelo to name just a few.

In my opinion this comprehensive exhibition would better serve those valuable contributors to the respected history of this art school if only a few works by each presenter, and an example in each medium by the multi-skilled, were selected instead of an over abundance of exhibits from some (e.g. Hal Missingham, 16; Ivor Hunt, 26; JWR Linton, 40) and insufficient examples from others (e.g. 1 each by Brian McKay, David Gregson, John Lunghi).

But it was a monumental task and one the Perth audience is grateful for having been undertaken. Take the time or make more than one visit to this remarkable exhibition if you want to fully appreciate the efforts extended by all those associated with Perth Tech, past and present.