Pupils studying IB Visual Arts have been hard at work this year, creating powerful and thought-provoking exhibitions. Among them, Year 13 pupils Mia K and Luisa S have explored complex themes through their projects, offering audiences a compelling artistic experience.

Mia K’s exhibition explores the negative relationship between humans and the environment, highlighting the ways in which we exploit nature while attempting to conceal our role in its destruction. Her work critiques overconsumption and waste, featuring green-painted rubbish sculptures that camouflage as nature and screen prints resembling nature.

A key piece in the exhibition, a short film, illustrates the burden of excessive consumption, depicting how it metaphorically ‘drags us down’. The screen prints on the wall mimic planets and a universe, only to reveal themselves as photographs of rubbish bins, symbolising how the planet is turning into a massive waste container.

Both still life pieces are a reminder that everything is obsolete and that we, as individuals, will not be here forever. However, Mia’s painting of “my art studio” offers a glimmer of hope, encouraging individual reflection and action in addressing environmental challenges.

Luisa S’ exhibition takes a different approach, offering an immersive multifaceted atmosphere that invites viewers to explore the spirituality and dynamics of nature. By utilising a colourful variety of techniques, Luisa seeks to provide a personal yet authentic interpretation of our environment.

In her write-up, Luisa shares:

“Nature has long been an ever-evolving artistic muse, sparking discussions about life. The relationship between life and death is one of the central themes of my exhibition.

Immediately upon entering, the viewer is drawn to the fabric creation at the centre of the exhibition. This delicate piece employs a pleating technique on fine, shimmery fabric. The shadows cast by the folds create the form of a bird, adding an element of freedom to the piece. Freedom is another central theme echoed throughout the exhibition, particularly in relation to flexibility.

I also explore the interaction between humans and nature, which is evident in my head sculptures and modern coral. The head sculptures, made of clay and inspired by Damien Hirst, demonstrate how nature carves into artificiality. The coral, on the other hand, is made from styrene circles and illustrates consumerism and the ignorance toward nature that is deeply embedded in modern society.”