From the Head of School

 

ISA Art

One of the most commonly used words in English is ‘the’.  However, there is no equivalent in Chinese.

Until I went to China, I had assumed ‘the’ was absolutely essential to a language.  It was quite a shock to come across a people who had got on quite happily without it for thousands of years.

We only discover what we assume, when we consider something different.  Both individual people and entire cultures can’t be self-aware if they only know themselves. 

On Thursday, ISA hosted the IB Art Exhibition.  These Grade 12s have created some pretty amazing works of art, but those end products, great as they are, aren't the purpose of the course.  The purpose is the process, and this is not limited to acquiring the skills to express themselves (important as that is).

Their creation begins with investigation, a critical engagement with artists from other cultures.  For example, Nadia considered how the contemporary British-Indian artist, Radiq Shaw, approached this theme of paradise and compared it to the sixteenth century Dutch painter, Hieronymus Bosch.  This was an opportunity to reflect on her own cultural assumptions, and, by understanding others very different to herself - to develop a deeper awareness of her own concepts and values

Each of ISA’s Grade 12 artists has spent the last two years learning more profoundly how to see the world and in turn how others see it.  They know where they place their stool may not change what they are looking at, but will change how it is represented and what they may see in it.    

There are many skills that are necessary to thrive in a globalised world.  But none of them matter without an ability to engage with others very different from ourselves.  When I first travelled far from home, I was not aware of my own assumptions.  Because I had not seen others, I couldn’t see myself.  

The IB art exhibition is a demonstration that ISA artists are ready to participate in a world of many perspectives.