Valentina Fabbri
My work in IB Art has mainly been centred upon memory, identity and how emotions are felt rather than seen. I was especially interested in how memories change over time – how they blur, fade or become distorted, even when the feelings attached to them stay strong. I started exploring portraiture through a range of techniques and materials, including sculpture, photography, printmaking and painting, using distortion and simplification to move away from simple likeness.
This idea comes through most in my final pieces. The portraits, which are inspired by contemporary portraiture artists, reflect how our memory of people can shift and change over time. The landscape painting of a ski lift in Crans-Montana – a place I associate with movement, crowds and activity – is shown completely empty after a tragedy I witnessed there on New Year’ s Eve. The absence of people in a space that is normally full of life becomes a way of reflecting shock, mourning and the unsettling stillness that follows loss.
Overall, my project explores sensation through quiet emotions like nostalgia and remembrance, and how these experiences subtly shape the way we remember people and places long after the moment itself has passed. The Art department became a space where I could detach and focus on what I was creating. I especially enjoyed being able to work alongside my friends – sharing a space, exchanging feedback and watching their work develop made the experience feel collaborative and meaningful.