In the wrinkles of time lies the hidden poetry of life.
The annual Dehong Shanghai IB Visual Arts Exhibition recently commenced at the Dehong Art Barn. Titled "A Wrinkle in Life," the exhibition showcases the culminating creative works of four Grade 12 IB Visual Arts students, presenting an artistic dialogue that merges visual richness with profound reflection. Utilizing diverse media including painting, photography, installation art, and creative video, these young creators turn their focus to the subtle creases within life and our world, seeking out the beauty that flows there, the memories held in stillness, and the quiet contemplations that reside.
Now, let us walk into this exhibition where sight and spirit intertwine, and listen to the artistic voice of a new generation, speaking through their works.
G12 Tammy
My series revolves around the core theme of "interaction," attempting to capture the complex and delicate relationships between people, between humanity and nature, and between time and space. For example, "Silent Storm"depicts the unspoken emotional voids within close relationships and the silence and distance that can grow from them. For this piece, I experimented with using mulberry bark paper as the canvas—a type of traditional handmade paper whose unique fibrous texture naturally forms fine wrinkles and grain, perfectly echoing the emotional intertwinement and entanglement I wished to express.
The process of experimenting with this new medium was full of unexpected fascination: you often cannot completely predict the outcome, and this constantly presents you with choices: to preserve the accidental marks, or to try another material and continue exploring? This very experience offreedom is perhaps the greatest gift the Dehong IB Art course has given me—it encourages me to look inward and to bravely reach outward, exploring the possibilities of various materials.
G12 Janny
My work consistently revolves around the eternal question of "beauty," seeking to explore how its definition has been continuously shaped and deepened through the progression from ancient nature, to human community, and into modern society.
In my creations, I use acrylics, drawing inspiration from the graphic, linear style of Czech painter Alphonse Mucha. I simplify light, shadow, and color, using gentle color fields and clear contours to allow detail and layers to emerge from within the composition's calmness.
I haven't had extensive formal training in painting techniques. Therefore, for me, the most valuable aspect of the IB Art course is that it does not demand technical perfection, but encourages me to sincerely explore themes I am interested in, within my capabilities. In this process, many vague notions gradually clarify, even growing into unexpected answers. Thus, the brush and paint become an extension of thought, allowing me to present these contemplations on "beauty" to the viewer.
G12 Iris
All my creations stem from a tender, personal sense of nostalgia deep within. My inspiration comes primarily from childhood and my hometown—those fragments that remain vividly alive in my memory and for which I always hold a deep longing. Through my work, I attempt to gaze once more upon, and preserve, those elapsed moments.
In my practice, I primarily employ techniques like image transfer and cyanotype. I chose image transfer because the photographic image itself is the most direct carrier of memory, allowing past instants to reappear truthfully on my canvas. The classical cyanotype technique imbues the images with a unique blue-toned quality, enriching and deepening the color layers.
My mind tends to jump between ideas rapidly, but my Dehong IB Visual Arts teacher always helps me identify the most brilliant spark from a whirlwind of inspiration and firmly tells me, "This idea can work!" This continual affirmation gives me the confidence to keep creating, allowing me to gently lift the veil of nostalgia from my heart and present it for all to see.
G12 Gigi
My work aims to explore the relationship between the individual and society—encompassing interpersonal connections, personal circumstances, internal conflicts, and genuine emotions. One of my favorite pieces is diptych: the upper part is a single eye gazing downward, and the lower is a bird's-eye view of a crossroads. Through this, I wish to express that within society, the individual is often minute. We may be immersed in our own lives, but from a wider vantage point, each person resembles a microcosm within the crowd, situated within a larger order.
The greatest help the IB Visual Arts course has given me is teaching me how to systematically develop an inspiration into a finished work. Before, I might have had only a vague notion and didn't know how to delve deeper. Now, guided by my teacher, I begin with artist research and material experimentation, gradually refining my approach until I find the visual language that best fits the theme. This process ensures my creative work is not merely intuitive but follows a clear path of intellectual development.
Throughout the exhibition's duration, a steady stream of Dehong faculty, students, and parents visited, collectively witnessing the rich fruits of the IB Visual Arts programme. Younger students lingered before the works, admiring the technical skill their seniors had accumulated over years and the unseen effort behind each piece. Their own creative passion was deeply ignited, feeling the boundless possibilities of artistic expression. Parents pondered each work carefully, often remarking on the diversity and depth of the new generation's thinking, noting that the themes and perspectives in many works offered them fresh inspiration as well. The teachers who had accompanied the students on their journey felt sincere pride in the creativity and critical thought displayed, offered heartfelt congratulations on their achievements, and expressed strong confidence in the future of visual arts at Dehong.
As the organizer of this exhibition and guide for the student artists, Ms. Kim Moreland, Secondary School the Head of Creativess, shared:
Behind these works lie months of in-depth research, repeated experimentation, continuous revision, and critical reflection by the students. In the creative process, their technical and visual expressive abilities have undoubtedly grown significantly. But more importantly, they have acquired transferable skills—they are gradually becoming creators, thinkers, and communicators. The resilience and perseverance forged throughout this entire creative journey are invaluable assets that extend far beyond art itself and will support them in going further on their broader paths ahead.
——Kim Moreland
It is gratifying to note that Dehong Shanghai's Class of 2026 has already garnered substantial achievements in the arts, including offers from prestigious institutions such as the University of the Arts London (ranked Top 2 globally for Art & Design by QS) and the Maryland Institute College of Art (Top 10 in U.S. News Best Fine Arts Schools). Looking back, from the Rhode Island School of Design and Parsons School of Design to Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Dehong students continue to gain admission to the world's top art and design schools. These outstanding outcomes are powerful validation of the school's comprehensive visual arts curriculum and the rich resources supporting it.
Ms. Moreland, Head of Secondary Arts, explained that Dehong Shanghai's visual arts curriculum focuses on guiding students to engage broadly with different disciplines, genres, and creative methods, stimulating thinking and creativity from multiple dimensions. From Grade 6, students build a solid foundation in the formal elements and principles of art and are introduced to a variety of media and skills. From Grade 9 through the IB Diploma Programme, the curricular emphasis shifts further towards analytical and conceptual thinking. Students systematically study how artists use symbols, imagery, and visual language to convey meaning and integrate this understanding into their own practice, achieving deeper expression in both technique and concept. The consistent "Investigation-Development-Creation-Evaluation" creative cycle helps students gradually focus their interests, build confidence, and ultimately develop a distinct personal voice in their work.
This IB Visual Arts Exhibition is not only a collective presentation of the artistic achievements of four Grade 12 students but also a testament to their growth as they explore life through creation and engage in deep contemplation through visual language. Setting out from the "wrinkles in life," they have used brushes, lenses, materials, and space to complete their own narratives of youth. Dehong Shanghai will continue to provide students with an expansive platform for creation, diverse artistic resources, and professional guidance and support, so that every student aspiring to artistic expression can find their own visual language here and journey towards a wider world.
