Jason F., Reach, oil on linen.
Reach is part of a larger polyptych that explores my aspirations and the pursuit of self-contentment and artistic fulfillment. With an outstretched arm, the central figure represents my yearning to reach a place of happiness and contentment in my work. Surrounding the central narrative are figures falling, symbolizing my fears of failure and the risk of falling short of my aspirations. These figures are a stark reminder of the uncertainties and challenges accompanying the pursuit of excellence. The stitching conveys a sense of mending as if trying to heal or stitch together the wounds of failure while maintaining the pursuit of perfection. It’s an acknowledgment that the path toward fulfillment is never seamless but rather a process of repairing and reconnecting with oneself through each setback. Through Reach, I aimed to express the duality of my journey—the hopeful striving towards an ideal future and the ever-present fear of failing to attain it.
N. L., Untitled, digital.
N. L. is an artist in the 11th grade whose work revolves around themes of human perception, seeking to provoke thought and reflection from the viewer. Her work is expressed through cohesive storytelling, using varied mediums to create pieces that contribute to a full story.
For this piece, I was inspired by the concept of opposites, and how this affects the modern world. There is no light without dark, no good without evil, no right without wrong. Ultimately, the existence of the different things in opposition is essential in defining them. That is, one concept relies on the presence of its opposite concept; without darkness, the concept of light becomes meaningless, and without the notion of wrong, what we consider right loses its significance. Only by acknowledging both concepts simultaneously can we interpret the world around us in a more comprehensive way.
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‘Portrait of a Golden Past’ by Didi Zhuang
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‘The American Girl Museum, Ravel’s Dead Princess, and The Lady Chapel’ by Irene Zhang
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