IB Art Exhibition 2018

International Baccalaureate Visual Arts, Students’ Show

learning to excel since 1969

ABOUT THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF MILAN

Creativity enriches the life of the mind. It is also a necessary skill in the modern world, where imaginative solutions are required for complex problems. The British School of Milan celebrates creativity in all its forms - intellectual, imaginative and aesthetic.

The school’s Art department enjoys an outstanding reputation in this respect. It was identified as ‘exceptional’ by the recent Inspection; it has been

recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Edexcel Examination Board, and examples of the high standard of artwork achieved by our students are on display throughout the school.

The IB Art Exhibition provides the Art department with a unique opportunity to show the local and international community in Milan some of the finest work produced by our graduating Year 13 students, some of whom

ART AT THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF MILAN

The Art department has enjoyed consistent success over many years, winning annual awards with examination boards for the highest international or world grades. Last year we achieved 93% A*/ A GCSE average and a 6.1 average IB score at HL. Another significant achievement from last year, was our IB student Yanha Yankowski who was selected for the ‘Premio Arte’ competition at the Palazzo Reale.

As well as celebrating the excellent quality of work

across two examination courses, the department was delighted with the following quotes from the 2017 inspection:

“The quality and range of art created by pupils is exceptional”

“Pupils achieve some of highest marks worldwide”

The IB Exhibition is an exceptional opportunity for students at the BSM to showcase their Visual Arts

will progress to Art and Design courses at prestigious universities and colleges around the world.

We are delighted to showcase the art in this brochure. We hope that you enjoy looking at it and appreciating it as much as we do.

Dr Chris Greenhalgh Principal & CEO

The British School of Milan

journey. This year, selected pieces of work have been chosen for the exhibition to celebrate the efforts of the students within the BSM community. In collaboration with Oxfam, we have responded visually to a theme of ‘Inequality’. The Oxfam logo within the catalogue indicates the chosen pieces for this competition.

Kate Michael Head of Art and Year Book The British

School of Milan

FRANCESCO BARBIERI

Still in time Graphite on paper 33cm x 23.9cm

Trip down memory lane

Acrylic on board 35.2cm x 50.5cm

Patterns of escapism

Acrylic on board 35.5cm x 49cm

Grey horizons

Plaster and acrylic 23.5cm x 35cm x 4.5cm

CAMILLA BELLORA

Disorder Acrylic on sugar paper 40cm x 27cm

Face overlap Acrylic on sugar paper 25cm x 27.5cm

Expression Acrylic and sand on canvas 100cm x 50cm

Jet Polyplat, tissue paper, acrylic 6cm x 38cm x 8cm

Still life reflections

Tempera on sugar paper

40.5cm x 33.5cm

SOLE A. CASTELBARCO ALBANI

Importance

Ink, bleach, plaster on canvas

30cm x 40cm

Geometric thickness

Acrylic on sugar paper

57.5cm x 36cm

The diversity of materials

Graphite on paper 37cm x 24cm

Composition of vessels

Tempera on sugar paper

29cm x 33cm

Toxicity

Acrylic on sugar paper

28.9cm x 56.5cm

GIOVANNI CICOGNA

Assemblage II

Acrylic on canvas

59cm x 74cm

Perceived reality

Acrylic on canvas

60cm x 75cm

EDOARDA DUBINI

Entrapment painting Acrylic on canvas 40cm x 60cm

Mirror reflection Acrylic on sugar paper 39.5cm x 27.5cm The creation Acrylic on sugar paper 42cm x 59cm

Entrapment drawing Graphite on paper 24cm x 33cm

Player’s field Oil on canvas 60cm x 75cm

Me and us Oil on wood 50cm x 70cm Rich decay Tempera on sugar paper 27cm x 36cm

Big brother Tempera on sugar paper 28cm x 40cm

MARIA EDMÉE OROMBELLI

Watching you, watching me Acrylic on canvas 70cm x 62cm

Intruder

Window to the alley Oil on canvas 59cm x 75cm

Abstract forms and buttons Tempera on sugar paper 41cm x 59cm

STELLA PEDERSOLI

Aesthetic Acrylic on sugar paper 42cm x 58cm

Observational Graphite on paper 33cm x 48cm

Bottles Acrylic on sugar paper 28cm x 40cm

Upside down Acrylic on card 33cm x 48cm

Oranges

Outside Oil on canvas 30cm x 40cm

Distorted perspective Acrylic on sugar paper 29cm x 42cm

Tray of glasses Graphite on paper 36cm x 27cm

Digital photograph on board 70cm x 50cm

Anxiety

Tempera on canvas

40cm x 50cm

Media

Tempera on cardboard

Poverty

Tempera on canvas

30cm x 40cm

Individual in society

Tempera on sugar paper

42cm x 30cm

22cm x 36cm

FRANCESCO BARBIERI SOLE A. CASTELBARCO ALBANI

Taking the IB Art course over the past two years has enabled and helped me to become a more varied and creative individual. Without ever studying Art before, I have been faced with practical challenges and have had to work hard to improve my handling of materials.With inspiration from well-known established artists, the course has encouraged me to make connections and amalgamations between my ideas and the concepts of the artists explored. The course has given me the confidence to be more daring individually, willing to take risks and launch myself into new projects. In the first year I took time to learn techniques and basic fundamental skills because of my lack of artistic experience. After gaining more confidence, I was able to start experimenting with different styles and media. Furthermore, one of the factors most enjoyed about the course was being able to express myself and my story, both abstract concepts, in a concrete and material manner through painting or sculpting. In my Comparative Study for example, one of the artists I chose was a Japanese woodblock printer due to the fact that Japan was my birthplace. From there, unravelled the concept of origins and moved on to the idea of starting a project on twins, given that my twin is clearly related to my origins. This made the project very personal and important to me as it became a way to express myself and my past. With experience, my ability to fluctuate between styles and concepts increased and I learned how to use a more controlled colour palette as opposed to the bright and bold one I initially used. Also, I became more versatile in the projects could undertake as managed to develop the ability to view things with perspective and with the goal to reproduce them with observation.

Art is a new subject for me. Before BSM, I had never been taught Art. The IB Visual Arts course has helped me to improve my artistic skills and techniques greatly. I have always had an interest in Art but producing it is very different. It has been a challenge but a good one! In the past 18 months, I have learned numerous skills that have built a foundation for developing my own artistic style.The best and most fun part of the course has been experimenting with mixed media. During these two years, have been introduced to many new artists and have formed a deep appreciation for non-figurative painting. Pablo Picasso has been a great source of inspiration for my work, in particular his abstractions of still life. He has taught me how to break down a realistic and figurative image to achieve a personal outcome. This means not being afraid to create non-realistic pieces of work. As my work developed and abstracted similarly to Picasso’s ‘Bull series’, I noticed my work offered a slight symbolic reference to a still life but not a realistic one. After seeing an exhibition ‘Alfabeto Segnico’ in the Palazzo Delle Stelline in Milan, I was inspired by a group of artists that use abstract symbols such as Giuseppe Capogrossi, Sergi Barnils and Achille. In my contemporary culture, it is becoming second nature to communicate with abbreviations or emojis to avoid writing a long written explanation. By looking at communicative symbols used in my youth culture such as emojis, face texts, graffiti, decided to create my own form of coded communication within my work. I enjoyed developing these ideas and symbols sequentially like Picasso’ Bull series. I believe that this course has had major impact on my way of thinking and viewing art since it helped me to understand the importance of language within art.

CAMILLA BELLORA GIOVANNI CICOGNA

During my IB course learnt to innovate beyond all horizons; by exploring and experimenting with materials and techniques, learned that without setting boundaries on our imaginations, even a small fragment can develop into an “opera d’arte.” My imagination is what pumps my artistic vein. Living in a country impregnated by art, my art classes taught that a solid, detailed plan is essential in the creation of a masterpiece. But to me, the final creations of Italian classical painters lack improvisation, whilst the speedy lines of their sketches show truer inspiration. Representing the full process, Michelangelo produced pages of changing thoughts for every figure that he later portrayed in the Sistine Chapel. My style, in contrast, is directed by the spur of the moment. flow with my feelings to maintain a high level of spontaneity. My artistic role models tend towards a foreign pathway, for example Andy Warhol’s pop art as opposed to Caravaggio’s baroque paintings. I am especially intrigued by how Roy Lichtenstein and Alighiero Boetti have combined vivid colours with geometric, in-your-face precision to represent emotion, tone and mood. My passion was led by their straightforward, transparent style in expressing their messages. In my current works explored the use of the line through figures and painting techniques, meaning that by using acrylic paint, which dries quickly, was able to add layers of quick straight brushstrokes that create shades without mixing colours. Ironically I am also drawn to the works of Basquiat, where interpretation is not immediately accessible and the viewer needs to “work more” to understand them. This planned chaos allows viewers to have fun by putting themselves in the artist’s shoes to imagine the context and purpose of his works. What attracts is often unconventional, “fuori dalle righe” (outside the lines). Having the freedom to express allows me to access yet unseen representations of my developing voice.

My love of architecture and desire to follow this as a career path led me to start the IB course looking at an array of artists and designers who explore structural qualities within their work. Early inspiration was sparked by the work of De Chirico; his geometric and architectural compositions initiated a journey into composing metaphysical landscapes. His paintings often used techniques of perspective and a dramatic light source. His strange and curious landscapes allowed me to construct a theatrical element and stage together the impossible. I liked the way he incorporated man and landscape together within his paintings, often by adding faceless mannequins to express how he wanted the viewer to interact with his work. Within my own work, I tried to create imaginative landscapes with human figures or the subtle traces of them that explored the idea that humans and nature are equivalent to each other; without each other they cannot exist. As the course developed, I explored the destruction of the landscape through media, pollution and war. Three different British artists: Samuel Palmer, Paul Nash and Graham Sutherland, inspired a series of imaginary landscapes. Influenced by these artists, I explored a more subtle approach than De Chirico towards the role of light in a painting. Light became an important tool to create depth and form within my work. Samuel Palmer inspired me to document landscapes at different times of the day and to study the variety of light omitted without sunlight present. These combinations of techniques resulted in transmitting feelings of loneliness and tragedy through each of my landscape paintings. Afterwards decided to move on from the destruction of war to the process of rebuilding after war. Looking at the artist Kurt Schwitters, I explored constructing artwork with the method of assemblage. I developed and experimented with composition to create a harmony using the rules of thirds to instil a sense of discipline, placement and structure.

EDOARDA DUBINI MARIA EDMÉE OROMBELLI

I always loved art at Key Stage 3 but returning to art after not studying GCSE has been a real challenge and also an exciting experience! My confidence and creativity have been boosted, making me view and appreciate concepts from different angles. was particularly interested in how the human figure is represented. I focused on two artists belonging to my Italian culture, Michelangelo’s infamous ‘David’ and the figurative sculpture of Giacometti. The two sculptures began an interesting line of enquiry, one representing strength and beauty and the other a symbol of isolation and desolation so poignantly felt by those who suffered in the war. The two figurative sculptures hence convey two conflicting and contrasting notions that wanted to embed within my work. From these two artists, decided to create a body of work by focusing on the ‘self’ almost conflicted by these two issues. My first self-portrait focused on the stillness and purity of David’s stare ready to face his enemy, abstracted by aggressive geometric shapes interrupting the figure. The following piece “Shadows” was influenced by one of Giacometti’s quotations where he once said he was sculpting not the human figure but “the shadow that is cast.” I engaged with this idea and photographed my own shadow. The shadow then became a cast representation of myself. Antony Gormley became my next inspiration for the following work. I embraced a different issue regarding the self and how one interacts with the surroundings or how the surroundings interact with you. This led to a detailed enquiry in my sketchbook considering not only one’s interaction with nature but also one’s dealings with society. The work of Christo and Jean Claude inspired me greatly to produce my favourite pieces so far in the IB. The objects became an extension and representation of the self and the cloth a symbol of oppression from society.

Taking the IB art course over these past two years has helped me develop into a more open-minded individual by exploring different art-practices and artists from around the world. In response to their work, am now confident to engage with new and unusual methods. I have enjoyed experimenting with a range of media, using materials and processes such as embroidery, batik, ink and bleach. It has been exciting to combine the process of making and experimenting with more complex ideas. Mona Hatoum and Yayoi Kusama have provided a strong source of inspiration in my work. Each project is composed of multiple works, often in series, which show the development of ideas and allowed the transition between 2D and 3D designs that served as complements to each other. I’ve moved on from ‘imitating’ artist’s techniques to exploring the meaning and intention behind their work. This lead me to engage with the theme of voyeurism, and the idea of presenting two different views at the same time in order to create an unsettling sense of introspection. I have taken inspiration from artists such as Hopper, Dufy and Caulfield who have represented this concept in their artwork through the use of windows. Another concept I developed, is that of presenting two different realities simultaneously. Detailed painting allowed me to depict a photographic reality whereas sketches served to replicate the movement within a scene. These two realities co-exist and depend on each other in order to form an image in the viewer’s mind. Throughout the course, I have realised which aspects of my style and work I wanted to change. Initially, I tended to create pieces with vibrant colours and patterns, whereas towards the end have learned to use a more controlled colour palette. This has enabled me to create pieces that are more intense and mature, with greater impact on the viewer.

ADRIANA MAGLI STELLA PEDERSOLI

Everyone experiences a certain moment of their life when they crave to fulfil their full potential and creative mind. Art, for me, is that constant in my life: something unremitting, which has helped me develop a sensibility towards new cultures and concepts. Studying Art at IB has prompted me to grow not only as an artist but also as an individual, helping me create a self- directed body of work which is meant to reflect my inner ideas and my personal view of modern society. This freedom to experiment is what has led me to focus on a concept of distorted society, established through a constant evaluation of personal experiences. During the course of the two years, I became completely inspired by my surroundings: from discussing ideas with my peers to critically self-assessing my own work. This aided me in the process of discovering my own artistic individuality and establishing the themes and controversies wanted to assess within my artwork. I particularly enjoyed using a range of media, from oil paint to black pens. The texture created through different layers of oil appeals to me, whilst I use pens for cross-hatching as an impactful and easy way to sketch whenever I am inspired by my surroundings. Through this, I was able to develop patience and determination when creating a new artwork. Overall, studying Art was certainly a fulfilling experience that stimulated me to become a more aware and creative individual. I have loved these past two years and I am excited to apply the transferrable skills I have learned when studying Art at a university level.

The Visual Arts course has been without a doubt, the most challenging yet rewarding experience I have undertaken in my life so far. What has been so fascinating is how have been able to express personal ideas and thoughts, which ultimately have stimulated my creativity. I now understand the sense of vision and the enormous psychological work needed in the completion and realisation of a project. What have learnt from the course is the great synergy needed between my personal, mental analysis and the process of turning it into a physical work of art. began the course with the notion of focusing and drawing inspiration from the Surrealist Art Movement and its major artists. Having said this, my main drive and inspiration during the course has come from the artist Yayoi Kusama, with much of her work consisting of the use of installations to create a feeling of illusion in its audience. My initial work includes a still life painting of objects, with a mixture of metallic and glass surfaces along with a first-hand observational drawing. To develop and incorporate an illusionary effect into my work, I attempted to portray my own understanding of these objects through the exchange of colours and rearrangement of the main focal points. The myriad forms of expression presented by the Surrealistic artists who I’ve been influenced by were overwhelming, yet they still carried a strong sense of harmony with an effective combination of colours and lighting techniques. Frustration and discouragement has been part of my journey, as on several occasions was unable to express and give the right purpose to my pieces. However, the beauty of art does not have barriers nor rules to your personal insights. Being part of such a course has been an amazing experience, where simultaneously I have acquired skills such as a development of my conceptual thinking and a sense of discipline.

THE ART DEPARTMENT

ANNA SEFERIAN

My journey throughout IB Art has been unpredictable and has developed and expanded my artistic skill a great deal. During these two years the use of artists and their ideas have helped me to develop my pieces and produce particular and distinct work that I am very proud of. I was able to develop as an artist and improve not only my art skills but also my curatorial and critical thinking techniques. At the start of the first IB year, my first series of work was a mixture of Yayoi Kusama’s and Mona Hatoum’s style after visiting an exciting exhibition in London. The outcome was interesting but quite flat with no technical properties. In the subsequent paintings, decided to concentrate on distortion and abstraction within art, which gave me the freedom to develop imaginatively an idea. I also decided to challenge myself academically and technically in art by focusing on the extreme complexities and transparencies of depicting glass in a still life arrangement. Combining these two ideas, I decided to concentrate on the theme of distorted reality, not only with glass but also looking at the messages and meaning behind paintings. During my comparative study I explored the hidden messages and concepts behind the famous ‘Kiss’ paintings of Klimt, Magritte and Munch. By exploring how these artists ‘distorted reality’ using technical characteristics, I was able to create an element of movement using, for example, blending, colours and light. To then continue this journey, looked at the British sculptor Henry Moore. wanted to create a 3D piece where explored distortion, Moore was a great example as a sculptor who was best known for his monumental bronzes, which combined Abstract Art and Surrealism to create forms of distortion. To develop the sculpture I then decided to do an abstract painting using Henry Moore’s deformed sketches.

SOFIA TSETLIN

In 2010 Bridget Riley exhibited her work in the National Gallery in London next to the Old Master paintings. Her geometric and linear work was created and inspired by works of art such as Mantegna’s ‘Introduction of the Cult of Cybele to Rome’ (1505-06), Raphael’s ‘Saint Catherine of Alexandria’ (about 1507), and three studies by Seurat. This idea of merging two completely different styles intrigued me. I started to pursue this idea and follow the lines and movement found within Old Master pieces. I decided to focus on one of my favourite art movements: the Renaissance. I combined the bold geometric lines of Bridget Riley with the pictorial energies found in the master paintings. In each of the works, imagined there to be a line flowing through the body, over the curves of the figures, following the compositions found within the paintings. explored this at length within my sketchbook, imagining that this line acted as a guide for the viewer’s focus. My first piece of work identified a new concept of appropriation. A movement that can be traced back to the Cubists but is more commonly found in the artworks of Duchamp such as the ‘Fountain’. The aim of my work therefore developed into an idea of creating a new situation and meaning by using iconic artwork. By doing so, I wanted to raise questions of originality, authenticity and authorship in my art. The line then became representative not only as a method of simplifying and modifying an original design but also as a symbol representing a clear divide of the past from the present. Each of my pieces should convey a familiar realism but at the same time not intentionally realistic. I wanted to represent that fine line between real and unreal. My work should ease the viewer in with its familiar imagery but equally create a feeling of unease and conflict with the deliberate ‘changes’.

KATE MICHAEL

After studying for her A Levels at the Sir James Henderson School, Kate decided to remain in Milan to study a BA in Fine Art Painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti Di Brera. After graduating with a 1:1, Kate returned to the UK to complete her Masters in Fine Art at the UCA in Canterbury. Whilst studying her MA, Kate began to assist with the Foundation Art course taught at the University and to visit local secondary schools to help examination groups. This then encouraged her decision to qualify as a teacher in 2009 at the Canterbury Christ Church University. She has since balanced her teaching career and her AQA Art examiner role, with her life as an artist, exhibiting in the North of Italy and the South East of England. Kate now is responsible for Head of Art at the BSM, as well as a year 12 form tutor and the school yearbook.

CHRISTINA GEORGIOU

After studying Fine Art at the University of the Creative Arts, Canterbury, Christina launched straight into her teaching career qualifying as a teacher at Canterbury Christ Church University in 2008. Since then she has worked across the globe in a variety of schools, beginning with four years at a school in Kent, where she held the post of Head of Art and Photography. Christina then decided to travel to Rome where she worked at St. George’s British International School and her love for Italy flourished. Subsequently she moved to Greengates School in Mexico City, where she led the Art Department, before returning to Italy and joining The British School of Milan earlier this year.

CONTRASTI: OXFAM’S CONTEST ON INEQUALITY

Economic inequality in countries is spiralling out of control. For millions of people, extreme inequality is one of the main obstacles to overcome poverty. This is why Oxfam is on the frontline to fight inequality

worldwide. This can’t be done without people engagement and active citizenship: asking students to create art pieces has been a way to suggest how visual arts can raise awareness of inequality and

drive the message in a creative and powerful way. The art pieces presented for CONTRASTI will be voted by students in Tuscany engaged in a wider Oxfam project on inequality.

Federico Spadini

Matteo Ponti - year 10

‘The cogs keep turning’ Tempera on sugar paper - 21cm x 29.5cm

Giovanni Cicogna - Year 13

‘War tragedies’ Acrylic on card 41cm x 28.5cm Carolina Cremona - Year 10 ‘A surreal vision’ Tempera on sugar paper - 29cm x 39cm

Nella Solero - Year 10 ‘Man and the machine’ Tempera on sugar paper - 59cm x 84cm

Giacaranda Crespi - Year 11 Acrylic on paper 34cm x 48cm

Matteo Ponti - Year 10 ‘Chaos in the system‘ Tempera on sugar paper - 41cm x 62cm

Isabella Romeo - Year 10

‘The cards we’re dealt with’ Graphite on paper - 19.5cm x 19.cm

Pietro Lombardi - Year 10 ‘The building blocks of our society’ Tempera on sugar paper - 39cm x 29cm

Galleria Michela Cattai presents Contemporary Art and Design works by some of the most important artists and designers of the twentieth century and collaborates with international galleries, public institutions, foundations and museums.

SPECIAL THANKS

Mr and Mrs Poggio for hosting the event.

Mr Federico Bazzi for printing the catalogue.

San Martino Banqueting for the catering.

Miss Michael and Mrs Georgiou for preparing the students and organising the exhibition.

Amie Louie for assistance with the marketing.

Mr Cooper for helping with the display.