Lincoln Learners Explore Contemporary Issues Through Their Art Exhibition!

Lincoln students had Explorarte, a senior IB Art Exhibition on campus that showcased their maturity as creative producers, tackling themes like identity, grief, and stigmas. Get to know all the insights of their creations. 

What inspires them? What is their artistic vision? Who influences them? As young and creative minds, it’s interesting to witness how our Grade 12 students express themselves in events like Explorarte: the senior International Baccalaureate (IB) Art Exhibition that took place this month. Learn more about their inspirations and creative processes from the artists themselves!

Life influences art, and vice versa

For Belén, art is a means of expression; emotionally and creatively. She explained: “My artistic philosophy is that life influences art, and art influences life.” With that as a starting point, she then reflected on life events as well as artists who inspire her, like Cao Fei, Hirohiko Araki, and Beth Cavener, to learn new techniques, explore new mediums, and understand more about herself as an individual and as a creative producer. 

Miranda’s exhibition also explored identity, specifically how we perceive ourselves alone versus within a community. “I was particularly inspired by Ai Weiwei’s porcelain pieces, which challenge traditional motifs while using historical methods,” she detailed.  

Mandalas and personal growth

“I wanted to find myself by finding a way to express my emotions healthily.” That’s Rita's take on her work for Explorarte. With this goal set, she prepared an exhibition focused on personal growth and maturity. And if there is a leitmotif in her work, that would be mandalas. “I liked how they allowed me to explore my emotions more abstractly,” she shared. 
Rita’s work is as personal as Dina’s. “Designed like a private room, my exhibition holds artworks made using different techniques and materials, including ceramic or acrylic paint on canvas, but also wood and metal,” she said. With ‘Identity as a journey’ as the overall theme, Dina’s pieces commented on different stages of life and experiences; on how decisions and attitudes can change our lives.

Grief and stigmas

“My exhibition can be divided into two main categories: the grief and fear about the 7th of October event in Israel, and the second about women and the stigmas they face daily,” explained Lihi. To represent all this, she took inspiration from Salvador Dali’s use of Surrealism and horror and Van Gogh's “The Starry Night”. 

“For my second series, I concentrated on women’s vulnerability and how society treats them. I created a chest with ceramic leaves, to represent Eve and how her actions are used to find fault in women today,” Lihi added. 

Using art to express beliefs and voice one’s perspective is also a core element in Luna’s work. Her creations showed influence from Banksy’s striking imagery and Patrick Martinez’s innovative use of color and media. “Taking inspiration from the humanitarian crisis faced by the people of Palestine, a portion of my creations grapple with the balance between beauty and violence,” she shared. “With my work, I hope to create awareness of the price paid by society's tendency to romanticize anger and violence,” she concluded.  

The spaces we inhabit

We are as much the relationships we have as the spaces we occupy. This idea inspired Arthur in his artwork, “where I explore the relationship between architecture, identity, and human experiences.” As he then detailed: “By combining architectural forms with emotional elements, I reimagine buildings as living entities that embody memories, struggles, and stories.”

The connection between spaces and oneself is present in another student’s work. Martin’s exhibition is inspired by his cultural background, memories, “and the things that have shaped me.” Through the use of various materials, such as charcoal, plaster gauze, and paint, and techniques like layering, lines, and shapes, Martin achieved depth and movement to show his interest in simple yet visually aesthetically pleasing art.