ARTWORKS BY OUR VISUAL ARTS STUDENTS 3 (2022)

On 8 November, the 2022 IB HL Visual Arts students hosted a gallery night. They displayed a selection of artworks which comprised mediums ranging from oil and acrylic paints, colour pencil, charcoal, and paper sculpture.

This series was created by Claudia Ann Ko Xue Ting.

Title of the art piece: Siheyuan (2022)

Media: Acrylic paint and colour pencils on canvas

Dimensions: 102cm x 51cm

This traditional Chinese courtyard house (known as Siheyuan) depicts the smallest window of my windows series, reflecting my desire to reconnect with my seemingly inaccessible mainland Chinese heritage. To enhance my appreciation of the beauty and details in architecture, I used more vivid colours instead of the realistic muted palette. To convey my longing to grow closer to my distant culture, darker values of this series’ palette were used.

Title of the art piece: Globalisation / Dilution (2022)

Media: Markers and watercolour on paper

Dimensions: 176 x 100 x 95cm

This piece depicts the underlying issue in my series – the rapid erosion of Asian cultures as a consequence of globalisation, a byproduct of westernisation. Replicating patterns found in the intricate embroideries on a myriad of traditional Asian costumes (Peranakan, Thai, Indian, Korean), I gradually used lighter toned markers and simpler details as I moved down the paper. This contributed to the “melting” of the patterns and pool of paper on the ground, mirroring the dilution of Asian cultures.

Title of the art piece: Kong Kong and Me (2022)

Media: Paper cut and colour pencils on paper

Dimensions: 79 x 82 x 17cm

Inspired by a Chinese legend of the Koi, this piece addresses change in one’s life and its impact on those around them. The Koi’s transformation from two to three dimensionality reflects how change can be different but still just as beautiful. However, when one undergoes change alone, what of those left behind? As my grandfather steadily loses memories of us, as reflected by the transition from vibrant coloured pencils to cuts on white paper, he undergoes a transformation I cannot follow.