A YEAR IN THE ART DEPARTMENT
Creativity is shared, ambition is encouraged and a common passion weaves together a network of Sennockians.
Above: IB Art Exhibition at The Truman Brewery
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To me, the Art department is something way more than a studio – it is a family, a sanctuary. It is a place where creativity is not only encouraged, but shared – between year groups, between teachers and students, and through inexhaustible opportunities, such as the Sixth Form trip to New York, where students discovered various aspects of art – from galleries, such as MoMA and The Met, to street art of the city, to contemporary landmarks, including the Vessel, designed by Thomas Heatherwick( OS 1984).
As always, the IB Art exhibition at The Truman Brewery in London was the highlight of the year. Within the industrial space, the Upper Sixth students proudly showed their creations. These were diverse in mediums, dissimilar in ways of expression and free of restrictions. I particularly liked how one student made fusions between his passions for physics and architecture with art, using CDs as a medium of expression. Many Old Sennockians, teachers and students returned to admire the exhibition.
This highlighted the tight network of Sevenoaks woven by the common passion for art. The exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity, as it gives us a taste of being an actual artist, and of learning curation skills. I am eagerly anticipating presenting my work next year.
Three hundred words( the count allowed for this article) are far less than enough to summarise the Art department. Within my eight months at Sevenoaks, I have already experienced life drawing, created video installations and experimented with minimalism … things that I had never dreamed of undertaking at school. I feel comfortable to express my own creativity. The teachers really encourage me to pursue my ambitions, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable. The Art department at Sevenoaks has left an imprint on me, affording a significant stepping stone for me to reach my ambitions within the creative world. I am certain that the memories made here will continue to inspire me.
Andrew Wang, Lower Sixth
28 ART REVIEW