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Timelapse: IBHL Year Two art students present their final projects

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From March 9-21, five seniors presented their IB Year Two project “Timelapse.” This exhibition is the culmination of two years worth of brainstorm and production. Here, three of the artists explain their creative processes.

Yichin Tsai

Art forms intertwine – this statement encompasses the nature of Yichin Tsai’s “Timelapse” project. Her pieces this year take inspiration from the films and novels she consumes in her day to day life, with a focus on the more figurative sides of these artistic works.
“The surreal has always captivated me. I have always wanted to translate the dreamscapes from deep within my imagination into brushstrokes and hues,” she explained.
Whimsical motifs and literary allusions dominate her paintings, and a few of them were inspired by poems and novels. The poems in the collection “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur prompted many of her brainstorming sessions. Yichin said, “In her poems she uses extended metaphors likening the ups and downs of life to seemingly trivial objects.” Her inspiration is especially evident in “Like Honey,” in which she cut out the shape of a honey pot and connected tree lights that emulated honey.

“Faceless Places” by Yichin Tsai. (Photo: Christine Lin/The Blue & Gold)

Another important source of inspiration for Yichin are dystopian stories such as the novel 1984. In her acrylic painting “Faceless Places,” she paints a sort of impressionist image of a woman standing in a glass bubble of which black shadows are trying to break with pickaxes. She describes how the idea of placing something benign and helpful in a more sinister context shapes her creative process and thus she is able to weave Rupi Kaur and 1984 together: “sweet things such as honey are always stuck in a cycle of sacrificing themselves for the betterment of others but forgetting their own well-being.” The same concept of contrast applies to “Aquaphobia,” a lopped five-second film of ocean waves hitting big rocks. This piece was intended to observe the “conflicting temperament of water.” She said, “I was enthralled by its inherent ability to simultaneously give and take life in an instant, and  I decided to put this onto paper. She hopes that visitors were able to “immerse themselves within the tides of surrealism.”

Rose Hsu

“Sprinkles” by Rose Hsu. (Photo: Shereen Lee/The Blue & Gold)

The space that Rose Hsu has created for her two-year project embodies a modern and playful aesthetic. Walking into her corner of the exhibition, one notices right away the small living room space she has set up, complete with succulents and photo books. In her artist statement, Rose tells her visitors, “If you’re tired, take a break at the living room area and look through my photobooks – a collection of photographs I’ve taken over the past two years with both iPhone and film cameras.”  She experimented with different photography techniques by recording different types of moments she witnesses in her life such as a black and white photo of a friend or a long shot of her shadow. She says, “For my photography, I love capturing different lighting, people, plants and buildings… I was inspired to capture my aesthetics in everyday life.”
The art pieces that surround the living room tables and chairs invoke elements of the pop art style prevalent in the 1950s. Digital media allowed Rose to experiment with color, as seen in the pops of pastel splotted across all the works. Using these bold colors, she captures the essence of women in some of her artworks. She says, “When I draw figures I tend to draw women because I am always inspired by the beauty and strength of women.” In works like “Content,” and “Sunny,” Rose digitally drew images of a carefree woman standing against a colorful background. With “Sprinkles,” she put on a light display of an outline of a women’s profile, surrounded by color sprinkles. Similarly, “Candy,” her set of two illustrations of candy packages, is reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s drawings of Campbell’s Soup Cans, though she takes an ironic twist on the nature of advertising and social norms by writing phrases like “Boys don’t cry” and “Girl smile.” Rose says, “I hoped my artworks highlighted qualities of self-love, confidence and playfulness, all traits I hope to embody as a woman myself.”
“Candy” by Rose Hsu. (Photo: Christine Lin/The Blue & Gold)

This two-year project has introduced Rose to many things. A yellow sundress that she made was the product of her first time sewing a piece of clothing. The making of the photo books was a particularly memorable process. She met with the printing company and went through each page with staff members: “I needed to print multiple drafts to achieve the desired colors and sizing.” This process provided her with much insight and inspirations and she expressed her gratitude to the accommodating staff.
Rose’s creations center around absorbing and translating the pieces of knowledge and images she takes in each day. From paintings of blood cells (“Bloodstream Lounge”) and dark matter (“Dark Matter”) to bees (“Honey Glow”), she captures moments of lighthearted musings in her small space in “Timelapse.”

Riya Parmar

Three pieces by Riya Parmar (’18). (Photo courtesy of Riya Parmar)

Riya Parmar knew that she wanted to pursue a career in art ever since she was little.  Growing up as a third culture kid, she has always been surrounded by a myriad of Taiwanese, Indian, and Western cultures. Her experience embodying different heritages allows her to “add a new perspective” to the art that she produces. Her IB art show theme centers on her creating a “fusion of Western and Indian culture.”
For “Timelapse,” Riya explored a variety of mediums in her collection. They range from a ornamental ceramic disc of an elephant to a mirror frame made with tiles. Her most cherished pieces, though, are the clothing she created. “Fusion,” a two-piece set of a black sleeveless crop top and a clean-cut slit skirt, takes inspiration from traditional Indian outfits with its gold chains and embroideries: “I picked gold beads because it would stand out and create a nice contrast with a black base.” Her personal favorite, “Pompom,”  is a set of a black asymmetrical sheer skirt paired a tube top with pastel color pompoms sewn in.
The designing process of Riya’s latest collection presented at the annual ILA Fashion show was not much different from her previous collections . She said, “I do the sketches first, then pick my models, take measurements, shop for fabric, get the base done, and then do the designs.” However, her experience from other projects have helped with the completion of this project : “I hand-sew the designs and since I have done a total of 14 outfits, my speed has improved so I can finish the designs a lot faster!”
Riya hopes to continue doing fashion design in the future.

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