Welcome to Sevenoaks School ’ s IB Art Exhibition 2025
Reflections on the Art department
My name is Nikita . I ’ m from Kyiv , Ukraine , and I graduated in the class of 2024 from Sevenoaks School . I am currently a student at Harvard University . At the moment , I am working on a solo exhibition that will be displayed both in Europe and at Harvard . This project combines academic research with visual art to explore the destructive impact of conflict on a nation ’ s culture and its future . I will present this ‘ essay ’ through a visual art installation , which will be exhibited in a solo show at the end of March . The central question of my research is : To what extent does the destruction of architecture during conflict destroy a country ’ s culture ?
In addition to preparing for this art show , I also work with galleries and chair the Projects Board of the Harvard Architecture Society . Looking ahead , my next step in the arts is an artist residency at Silver Arts , located on the 28th floor of the World Trade Center .
Unsurprisingly for my teachers at Sevenoaks , I ’ ll be very transparent about my opinions on everything to do with IB Art . I was initially sceptical about pursuing IB Art ; I was concerned about having to write academic papers on different artworks and experimenting with materials I wasn ’ t comfortable with . My art journey , however , evolved greatly over the short few years of Sixth Form due to the rigour of the IB Diploma . What began with simple pen illustrations in my IB Art ‘ screens ’ expanded into a diverse exploration of mixed media and installation work after attending several workshops organised by the Art department . This transition has allowed me to express complex and difficult topics and emotions in ways that are meaningful to others . Exhibiting my work in London was a true honour and further helped me build confidence in presenting my concepts to the world .
Lastly , while I know many of us IB students find the ‘ screens ’ quite tedious and intense at times , I have found them to be incredibly useful for my career as both an artist and architect , as well as in my studies of history . I often refer back to the artists I analysed during the IB when developing new projects . Their styles , concepts and colour palettes continue to inspire me and guide my creative process as I prepare for new exhibitions .
Nikita Ivaniuta ( OS 2024 )