Vesta| Fall 2020 | German Swiss Art ECA

VESTA FALL 2020 | ART ZINE | ISSUE NO. 1

BY THE ART COMMUNITY AT GERMAN SWISS INT’L SCHOOL

Cover

art

by

Kayla

Pereira

(class

of

'23)

1

MASTHEAD JASMINE SHEK '21 IGCSE / IB art student Editor-in-chief

NISHA BOEHM '21

IGCSE / IB art student Editor & writer

CONTRIBUTORS Artwork + Interviews

KAYLA PEREIRA '23 IGCSE art student

ANIKA SAMANT '25 ARSHYA MITTAL '20

Past IGCSE / IB art student (Architecture Student at University of Manchester)

MADISON MAN '23 IGCSE art student

AERIN MOK '21

IGCSE / IB art student

ARUL MURALIKRISHNA '21

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RYAN CHAN '21 EDWARD LAW '21

IGCSE / IB art student

CHARLOTTE CHENG '20 Past IGCSE art student

ANNETTE CHAN '22

Past IGCSE art student at GSIS

NICOLE HUANG '23 SORACHA BOEHM '24 (MS) NICOLA CULICAN

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear reader.

Thank you for taking the time to click and read ‘Vesta’. We are extremely excited to present you with something we have worked hard on over the summer.

We are often confined by the idea that art must be about painting or drawing, which is untrue, as art comes in all forms. With ‘Vesta’, we hope to inform students and parents about art at German Swiss, and to encourage you to become a part of our art community.

We would also like to give a big thank you to everyone who has kindly contributed their time and works to the zine. This would not have been possible without you.

Enjoy, Jasmine & Nisha

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ART

AT GERMAN SWISS

HOW IS ART TAUGHT HERE? At German Swiss International School, creative subjects are compulsory up until GCSE level, which gives students the time to broaden their knowledge and skills, as well as to develop their ability to visualise concepts in the arts.

With two English stream teachers and one German stream teacher, visual art is practiced across both streams and all year groups in varying quantities. The sixth floor of the middle building is home to our art students, providing bright and large open spaces in which students can fully embrace and explore their creativity.

The following page details how art is taught differently throughout secondary years.

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FROM YEAR 7 TO 9 Art is taught to all Year 7 to 9 students at German Swiss allowing them to gain familiarity with the subject itself as well as develop a passion for art which would aid in their decision of IGCSE subjects. Learning key concepts and making use of a sketchbook to document their ideas and projects helps prepare students for further creative study. Through engagement with art, students develop other skills that can be applied outside of the art room such as self-expression, observation, risk-taking, innovation and more. Art at this level is taught in a fun and unique way in order to inspire students to enjoy the subject.

FROM YEAR 10 TO 11 [IGCSE]

A step further from the regular art classes, IGCSE Art provides a structured course for students. The examination consists of two components - the coursework and an externally assessed assignment. At the end of the two year course, students will have explored a range of media, which ranges from painting to textiles and fashion, and would have all creative processes documented in a portfolio along with the final outcomes as coursework.

The externally assessed assignment consists of an exam 8 hours long, during which students will have a planned outcome to complete under supervision, as well as supporting studies handed in along with it.

FROM YEAR 12 TO 13 [IB]

IB Visual Arts is available at a higher and a standard level for all creative individuals preparing for either an art related career or just generally seeking a subject in which they can express themselves to develop into an individual and well rounded IB learner. This course provides structure whilst helping students develop their individuality and creativity, a good bridge between earlier curriculums and further studies. The course is examined purely on coursework which includes three components - a process portfolio which documents their thought and experimentation, the comparative study, a writing piece evaluating and contrasting artists’ work, and the exhibition which is a meaningful and carefully curated display of the students’ work completed over the two year course.

ART ECA EXHIBIT '19

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ART ECA ART BEYOND THE CLASSROOM Instagram: @gsisarteca

Art ECA is an extra-curricular activity introduced by students several years ago, and has served as a place for the art community to gather and create together, regardless of if you take art or not. It is a creative outlet for students and provides insight to the IGCSE and/or IB Visual Arts course, and also allows current art exam students extra time to work on their coursework in school. We find more students across both the English and German stream and varying year groups joining every year, which further encourages peer-learning. The aim of this ECA is to promote creativity, individuality and self-expression through art whilst having a purpose, as all students taking part in Art ECA work towards producing art to be included in the annual fundraising exhibition at school.

During the past school year in 2019, our ECA was hosted by a variety of art students in Year 12 and 13, and held a small fundraising exhibition in which we raised over 5000HKD. Money raised went towards the welfare of stray cats and dogs through the Soi Dog Foundation, our chosen charity organisation which aims to end the suffering of animals in Asia. In the past, German Swiss' Art ECA has also raised awareness and donated to other important local and global causes, such as supporting children's rights with Plan International.

This

in-school

ECA

will

continue

to

Friday afternoons from 2 to 3:20pm school

year

run in

weekly the

on

coming

(2020-21).

Sign-ups are available on October 5th - 8th 2020.

By Nisha Boehm '21

8

CONTRIBUTOR FEATURES KAYLA PEREIRA is an IGCSE art student.

FEATURE This piece was done in watercolours along with chalk pastels and acrylic paint. The reference picture was of a model, Christina Nadin, and I did this last year. I chose to go way beyond my comfort zone and tried painting portraits of celebrities/influencers so I could build up my own courage to try something completely new and risky.

COVER ART This was one of my first times using watercolour when I just started experimenting with a wider range of different media. I did this in 2018 and it’s one of my favourite pieces I’ve created. This piece was inspired by a quote I read that stated ‘every flower is a soul blossoming in nature’ which is why there are hands softly ‘growing’ from the flower.

ANIKA SAMANT FEATURE The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, a place where two worlds meet. This piece was created with Van Gogh watercolours and colour pencils. Anika has won an international art award with this piece.

BACK COVER ART A colourful bowl of fruit, depicted in an Andy Warhol style.

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ARUL MURALIKRISHNA FEATURES Herd of zebras grazing in the Ngorongoro Crater. Photo of the Cheetah was taken in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania 2017.

PAGE 13 Uluwatu Cliffs, in a town in Bali, Indonesia called Ubud. Taken in 2019.

AERIN MOK

is an IGCSE/IB art student.

FEATURE An acrylic rendition of a waterway in Amsterdam. I found a photo of this waterway and got inspiration from it, especially since a lot of my personal favourite pieces are impressionist paintings with scenes devoted to a body of water as a part of them, I wanted to try this kind of painting out myself as well.

10

EDWARD LAW is an IGCSE/IB art student.

FEATURES The top digital portrait I did to explore the human facial features as well as light and shadow. For the two pieces below it, I looked at human emotions and how they are expressed in our facial expressions and body language. I feel that the abstraction of forms allows for clearer focus on the emotions presented rather than the person's features.

PAGE 12 & 14 The Nights in Seoul photos are a study in light, motion and nighttime photography, capturing the fast-paced, urban nightlife of Seoul.

MADISON MAN is an IGCSE art student.

FEATURE An experimental digital drawing depicting two people by a lake. The simplicity of the scenery and line art style has some Japanese influence.

PAGE 16 A stylized illustration of honeybees, done digitally.

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ANNETTE CHAN was an IGCSE art student at GSIS. FEATURES The piece to the left was actually from a picture I took in the GSIS swimming pool. I got my friend to wear a white dress and I took photos of her swimming.

NICOLE HUANG

FEATURES (Left) A multimedia piece of a girl, exploring the hidden side of one's pain and fears.

(Below) A traditional piece depicting the juxtaposing aspects of life.

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GALLERY SPACE

Edward Law

Kayla Pereira

Jasmine Shek Ryan Chan Anika Samant Anika Samant

Annette Chan

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THE ART EXPERIENCE AT GERMAN SWISS Hear about what it's like to take art at German Swiss from our past & current students.

NISHA BOEHM '21

"Hi, my name is Nisha Boehm, and I’m 17 years old and in my final year of school at German Swiss. Visual Arts is one of my IB higher level subjects.

Personally, art as a subject during the two curriculums has forced me out of my comfort zone, which has actually introduced me to my new favourite medium in art, oil painting which I may never have tried otherwise. My experiences in both courses have been good overall, whilst it does take up a bit of my time, it remains fun and always has been for me! Art is always super chill and basically a time where you can relax and destress through creation, plus the art students you end up surrounded by are a one-of- kind fun breed, coming from me of course! However, I can confirm that when you’re stuck for time or stuck for ideas it’s the worst. Or if you’re like me and you find yourself criticising your work till it reaches a point near perfection or completion depending.

Art has provided me with space to really breathe and relax whilst still being productive. It has also helped create friendships and an environment in which I can freely express myself. Regarding skills, it definitely helped me step out of my comfort zone in the name of creativity!

The main piece of advice I can give to present and future advice students is keep going and stick with it! Also, I see you, don’t try and rip another page out of that sketchbook even if it isn’t your best. Also, I think you shouldn’t give up what you’re passionate about. If you love art, if you love making it, planning it, showing it, anything really… keep doing it!"

CHARLOTTE CHENG '20

"I was a IGCSE art student and experienced a lot of self growth during my two years of IGCSE Art. Ms Phung was a teacher and mentor who encouraged me to do what I wanted, and not what people expected. I was able to be more honest in my artwork, and always thought of it as a good way to release stress and emotions.

Please think of art as a way of self expression, you don't have to create art for people, but rather yourself. It's also important to choose the medium that fits you most - to be good at art doesn't mean that you have to be good at painting or drawing, you just have to be effective in conveying your message. As a community we should encourage each other to experiment, and most importantly have fun."

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SORACHA BOEHM '24 "I have been in German Swiss International School for 9 years now and I will be starting year 10 at the start of the school year. I’m starting the Art IGCSE syllabus and am very excited to be able to venture into more mediums of Art. I’ve had the pleasure of having both Ms Phung and Ms Culican in my past three years of secondary school, which I feel was a very good experience, as they both have very different teaching styles. They are both really nice and caring teachers and I really don’t mind which teacher I will get.

I think one of the most memorable moments in GSIS Art that happened was painting my class' part of the Berlin Wall for the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. The main reason why this was so meaningful to me was that I had so much fun creating the design and then bringing it to life, in a larger scale. I was so proud that I had managed to finish my part of the wall in time for the assembly, that I totally forgot that the whole wall was to be knocked down in the end, thus making it the most memorable art piece that I’ve done in GSIS. I chose art because it was one of the subjects that I love and am interested in.

I think art is very important as it allows me to have creative freedom. Art is a subject that I will always want to do and because I’m passionate about Art it will never be a subject that I will regret taking."

ARSHYA MITTAL '20 "I was an HL IB Visual Arts student at GSIS. I learned to experiment freely with art, particularly various mediums, styles and concepts, rather than being confined to singular styles and becoming obsessed with perfecting that one technique. It was meaningful because of how it transformed my artistic inspirations and my personal motivations with art.

To quote every IB Art teacher ever, “TRUST THE PROCESS”. But seriously, I never thought the experimentation process would become so deeply ingrained in me but even now, after having graduated a couple months ago, I still find myself in a similar exploration routine when trying out a new technique, medium or concept. And yes…. I STILL WORRY ABOUT THE CONCEPT." Arshya has graduated from German Swiss and will be pursuing architecture at the University of Manchester in the UK.

By Nicola Culican Head of Art at GSIS

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CLOSING INTERVIEW

WITH MS CULICAN HEAD OF THE ART DEPARTMENT AT GSIS

ABOUT

"I studied at Loughborough College of Art and Design - BA Hons in Fine Art Painting. I also did my MA in Fine Arts at Norwich School of Art and Design and my PGCE at Reading University. I've always been interested in Art and grew up with an older sister who was a Graphic Designer and a mum who worked in textiles. I wasn't really thinking about future aspirations, I just followed my passion and strengths. I went into teaching initially to fund my creativity, after a year being a struggling artist and it has allowed me to travel to places that have then become the source of my work. It has allowed me opportunities that I never thought I would have. I grew up in a family that never travelled and maybe thats why I have had this wanderlust."

More details on her works on the following page.

See more of her work and details of her journey on nicolaculican.com All artwork featured on the following pages are by Ms Culican.

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EXPERIENCE AT GERMAN SWISS "I have been teaching at GSIS for 10-11 years. I was in Bangkok before this and never thought I would stay this long in Asia. I thought it was going to be a 2 year adventure - and now its been 14 year in Asia."

What is important to you as an art teacher?

"First of all, I want students to enjoy art. I feel that all students have the potential to do well in art, it's just about finding their area - whether it's photography, sculpture or drawing Anime. I also feel that by studying art opens students up to being more observant of their surroundings and the world and to think beyond the ordinary, and this can feed into any industry. I am interested in teaching students the skills to give them the foundation on which to build their art in the future. In a city like Hong Kong, art is not appreciated has a valid subject to pursue at a higher level and at University. Parents feel that if their child is good at Art then Architecture is the only way to go, but this field only fits a select few.

People forget that art and design is in everything we wear, use, live and see. The world is changing and art and creative thinking is at the centre of these changes and so we need to create these artist and creative minds."

Would you encourage students take art at GCSE/IB level?

"Yes, for the above reasons. We need more creative thinkers and I have had doctors, lawyers, business students as well as architects and artists come through my art room and all have benefited from taking art. I've also had students take art as its a form of release for them and that's valid too, as we move into a more mindful world, having something to help relieve stress is a great tool."

What have you seen over the years as a teacher?

"More recently I have seen more students being able to take art as a subject on its own at university. On top of Architecture, which we have students pursue every year, I have seen students being able to study Film, Visual Arts, Fine Arts, textiles, animation, ceramics, etc.. which is great. I have students go off to study other subjects then come back to art after their degree. It's difficult for parents who are paying extortionate fees and I can understand why they would rather invest in a more stable or known career path, but students should try and be given an opportunity to follow their passion, as passion leads to a happier and more fulfilled life."

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What do you hope to see of the GSIS art community in the future?

"I would like to see more students pursue Art at the higher levels (GCSE and IB) as over more recent years I feel that these numbers have dropped. I would love that all IB students had to take an Arts - whether this is Art, Drama or music as it is more in tune with the holistic approach that the IB syllabus was based on, but we have lots of students opt out due to wanting to study double science, double humanities, etc. Also, in a city that focuses on grades, students don't feel comfortable to take a subject where they feel they may not get the top grades."

MORE ON HER WORKS

"Throughout my art practice, my work has centred around the theme of women, focusing on women within society. Within this theme my work has taken different directions according to the different societies and cultures in which I find myself. Over the years, I have lived in both Africa and Asia and I have taken the opportunity to travel extensively throughout these very different regions. During my time in Africa, I looked at the role of woman within African society (particularly Botswana, where I was living at the time). I was intrigued by the effects of the western world within their culture and later by the AIDS crisis that was escalating within the female population. Towards the end of my stay in Botswana, I focused on painting portraits of ordinary women – the women that I saw everyday. And this has been my main focus in Asia. I am intrigued by the faces of women and the stories they tell. The lines and wrinkles, the glint in their eye, their smile, their clothes. All of these allow the viewer to try and understand the character behind the face.

These women are women who people pass everyday without a second glance. I go out of her way to meet the women of these lands; women who I refer to as the 'Invisible Women' - women who lead hard lives - often painting portraits of farmers, mothers and market vendors, reflecting my own working roots. My paintings aim to bring out the beauty of these women through the colour, lines and pattern that she sees in their faces. Each painting represents a chance encounter, a moment of meeting, a very personal encounter between me and these women. I work in a bold, graphical style, using a colourful and highly saturated palette.

I work in Acrylic on canvas."

VESTA FALL 2020 ISSUE NO. 1 Back

cover

art

by

Anika

Samant

(class

of

'25)