Exhibition Date: June, 2023
Class 117
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The Lady of the Mangrove
- Seyliane Monéosari
Every single chapter of our lives is a journey: with a beginning, a middle and an end. And in these chapters sometimes, fear and anxiety can be so overwhelming, it almost feels like we’re drowning.
There is a meaning even in the tiniest of detail, but we can only appreciate its value if we slow down and observe things from a different perspective. This is the approach I took to create "The Lady of the Mangrove".
This idea came to me when I needed to slow down, and working on it has been a therapeutic and rewarding journey.
It started off as a story that I wanted to illustrate. However, I wanted to add a more personal touch to it. As Tarot reading is a huge part of my life, I wanted to experience creating a Tarot deck of my own based on this story, where every step has a double meaning.
Materials: Adobe Illustrator, Paint, Paper, String
Memories
- Pierce Southcott
This is a crown of memories - places I've been, creatures I loved. Even the composition is a memory: when I was younger I would play with bugs and flowers rather than with other children, and once I found a large dead tarantula and I placed it on my sisters head. I wonder if that's why she hates spiders? The love of bugs and reptiles formed in Costa Rica along with many of my memories. The sculpture is meant to represent my travels and the memories I made along the way. It's made almost entirely out of clay with the exception of a manikin head used as a base structure, a plastic crown, and some toothpicks to hold the small things together.
Materials: Sculpting clay, Toothpicks, Paper clips, Mannikin head, Suitcase, Plastic crown
Opening Night
- Darlene Naomi Lingga
The cinema was–still is, one of my favorite places. Through movie showings, I was able to create fond memories with my friends and family. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to visit movie theaters as much since I moved here and I greatly miss it.
In reminiscence, I've decided to pay homage to all of the wonderful times I've been to the cinema. Opening Night is exactly that; an ode to the theatrical experience I once thought was trivial. It consists of three different sections: a ticket booth; a concession area; and of course, the theater itself.
Through the creation of this miniature, I relived all the great times I had there, which left a bittersweet taste; it evoked nostalgia and homesickness, but it was also fun. I tried to reflect my feelings in the diorama: the combination of buttery popcorn and cold beverages to keep us awake, the anticipation building in the dark theater, and the movie posters with the big stars plastered on the walls. Building this diorama has brought me joy, and so I hope that it can make you feel the same happiness I did walking through the cinema halls.
Materials: Foam board, Felt, Paper, Acrylic Paint
Finding Peace with Pain
- William Kim
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional” quote by Haruki Murakami was my inspiration to create this clay sculpture.
In this piece I tried to depict human's pain and suffering and to emphasize that it’s only one part of our lives. We don’t always have to suffer from all our hardships, and we can choose to be strong as pain will always be there regardless. We can use our bitter experiences to better ourselves and learn to find happiness, build our strength and persevere through pain.
Visually, I incorporated some black cracks and deformed shapes to act for the hardships that we all encounter. I also used neutral a facial expression for the portrait to display our resilience.
I used clay as it helped me to shape the forms and deform them easily. I'd like to remind myself and my audience that pain is only a part of our lives.
Materials: Clay, Newspaper, Tape
Brazilian Trail
- Mariana Ferreira de Oliveira
My project is an interactive drawing with the theme: Brazilian Biomes. I chose this theme because Brazil is my home country. I have always loved to travel to all corners of Brazil to observe nature and the animals that are found in different regions. The different climates make the vegetation and animals adapt in a very beautiful way. As my reference for interactivity, I used the Where’s Waldo? books because I loved this kind of game when I was a child. To develop the design, I used Adobe Illustrator and Procreate. To create the interactive part of the project, I used Adobe XD.
Materials: Computer, iPad, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe XD, Procreate
Musings of the Female Friendship
- Kendra Forster
Female friendship has been misrepresented in the media for almost as long as I can remember. From toxicity to petty ‘catfights’, there’s a flood of horrible representation of something I consider to be one of the most beautiful parts of life. In my piece ‘Musings Of The Female Friendship’, I’ve chosen three of my female friends, whom I’ve made through the Foundation program at VFS.. I painted them with subtle hints of imagery representing three of the nine Greek muses from Greek mythology. These muses represent all forms of art, specifically comedy, music, hymns and sacred poetry. It’s so heartbreaking to hear people claim that female friendships are ‘too much drama’ or ‘too much work’. My female friendships have helped me prosper, learn and grow. There is such an overwhelming amount of love and understanding that goes into such intimate relationships, that I feel so much of the media has never gotten right.
Materials: Digital Paintings using Adobe Fresco
Mothsong
- Sydney Calpas
When people think of a moth, it’s not usually seen as something beautiful. You might think of a drab, annoying bug that flies around your house lights at night. I chose to create a 3D self-portrait as a moth in this video, appreciating its beauty while also relating it to myself. Moths hold a lot of symbolism and meaning that resonates with me. Representing embracing change, death and rebirth, and fragility; these traits resonate with me because of my sensitive emotions, emotional intelligence, feelings of being left out, and anxieties toward death and change.
I like how moths represent that change is okay and something to be embraced, as that’s something I often struggle with. They go through the biggest changes imaginable, going from a caterpillar to a beautiful moth. They remind me to stay sane and appreciate the changes.
Playing with the video is a song I wrote to represent the feelings and emotions related to the project. I wanted to include something that came from my heart. I don’t often share the music I write. It’s quite simple, but says a lot about how I feel and the topics I wanted to convey in this project.
Materials: 3D model created in Maya
Bloodstains and Virtues
- João Victor C. Mazzei
One man, Napoleon, is remembered by history as a warmonger who brought chaos and death. Yet, he was responsible for creating the code of law we follow in this day and age, as well as the system of promotion by merit.
The other one, Dom Pedro II, is remembered as one of the best and most benevolent rulers the world has ever seen. While it's true he brought a nation and hundreds of millions of people prosperity, because of his caprice, Paraguay is yet to recover even after more than a century from war.
Are things so simple? Can people be labeled so easily? Can good things be done by evil people, and can evil things be done by good people? With this wisdom of history, how can we bring it forward, question, and thus better choose who seek to lead us forth?
Materials: Adobe Illustrator
Fashion and Combat
- Riki Hernandez Martin
This is a fashion design piece. I designed the mockups and largely made the pattern myself using reference pieces from my wardrobe, other designs and pattern tutorials online. I used to practice textiles and fashion design from a past course. My experience prior was intermediate, as I could follow a pattern, but not produce my own designs. Here, I sought to design a piece of my own and increase my experience in the area, and make a type of piece I have never before made. I am known for wearing some combination of black and purple. My piece is like visualizing that style and color scheme into a type of outfit that's different from my usual cargo pants, tee and hoodie, while adding some additional design elements to make it stand on its own. I curated my fabric by color, firmness and texture and bought my tools, made my own pattern, purchased a machine, and produced the piece. I intend for the audience to see an extension of my fashion sense in a different form
Materials: Fabric, thread, sewing machine
Comfort
- Nihan Ozdemir
I have always imagined a perfect place where I can isolate myself from daily stress, depression and anxiety. I would fancy to unwind peacefully and regain my energy. I created this serene environment by using some objects that would normally comfort me. As nature has a strong calming effect for me, I surrounded all the elements in it. By using real natural items, I attempted to portray an actual natural place so that the audience could feel the same as me. I used the light to represent my anxious thoughts. The cloud is the filter to my safe place. When anxious thoughts come to my mind, after they are in my comfort zone, they become a light.
Materials: Clay, Sand, Rock, Flower, Light
Emotional Hologram
- Joey Murata
I am an empathetic person and I feel for people very easily. It's very easy for me to tell whether someone is sad or mad. To visualize how I feel, I created 3 animations that represent happiness, anger, and sadness in a silhouette form. I didn't want to depict these emotions through facial expressions. I believe that body movement or body language can tell how one is feeling. I utilized a hologram as the transparency can add to the uncertainty of this subject. I've always found it fascinating how a mere silhouette can evoke emotions. The shape and posture of the silhouette can convey a range emotions. A slouched figure might convey something sad. A stretched arm can mean they're confident, as can bobbing with each step they take. Even a simple gesture, like the tilt of the head or raise of their hand can convey so much. Ultimately, it is the viewer's interpretation and emotional connection that breathe life into the silhouette.
Materials: Clear acrylic sheet, Foam board, Plastic, Copper wire, ProAfter Effects (Software)
Seua sa-ming
- San Wattanateeraphan
"Seua sa-ming” a Tiger-demon with the power to shape shift into a beautiful woman is one of the demons in Thai culture. Her seductive eyes and body lure you into her forest aiming to devour you whole. This is a tale that adults teach their younglings including myself.
I have been always obsessed with tiger patterns and mythical folklore which is why I created my vision of this Tiger-demon. I created a complete 1:1 life-size drawing to express my version of this creature. I used a variety of Sakura micron pens to draw on white paper with a touch of orange brushstroke. I made the pose of this creature as it cramps in a box and it tries to break free giving it a 3D vibe.
Materials: Ink pen and pencil on paper
Brought to you by “MEN”
- Zera Sudheer
The Bechdel test measures the representation of women in film or other works in fiction.
Brought to you by “MEN” is a diorama based project that challenges the notion that passing the Bechdel test is difficult. Its aim is to investigate to what extent can a movie pass the test, without disrupting the overall plot or quality of the film, yet still successfully shine a better light on the women's role.
Wes Anderson films have always been favourites of mine, however, most of his movies do not pass the test. His movies always made me feel a little alienated or left out…like a clique that I wasn't cool enough to join. The combination of some magnificent visuals and lack of developed female characters made him the best candidate.
Out of the two dioramas, one is a recreated scene from Anderson’s most famous work, The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and the other is a totally made up scene from Darjeeling Limited (2007). With these two new scenes, both films pass the Bechdel test.
Materials: Cardboard, Foam and Paper
Depression
- Howeson Zhang
My inspiration was the stories of some friends around me. They share their stories with me so gradually I will feel that some of my experiences have resonance with their emotions. I want to express this emotion through my pictures. I chose black and white to express a very dull or very depressing feeling. Through this exhibition, I aspire to capture the inner emotions of individuals struggling with depression, with the hope that it may provide them with healing and encourage more people to support their friends who are facing depression. Depression for me is a feeling that I can't really touch, it's a feeling that is elusive and hard to understand.
I have an idea to engage the audience in a co-creative process with my artwork.
The A\audience can define their own name according to this painting and even write down some psychological activities they think of when they see this artwork.
Materials: Foam board, photography
The 100 Project
- Aurora Yang
“Naming what I felt was like calling myself by 100 different names. When I called them by their name, they came to me and became constellations.”
This project is my first portrait work about 100 emotions, feelings, and moods that I've studied, felt, and transparently expressed. I classified words into four groups according to the level of pleasantness and energy. This is a participatory exhibition, allowing the audience to guess which portraits match with mood words.
Language is not just a tool for explaining something inside of humans, but an independent system that enables our thoughts and emotions. In today's world, it is so easy to swipe everything with just a thumb and to explain such a huge category with just one word. Meanwhile, many details of ourselves are dying unborn.
Knowing words abundantly means being born by distinguishing one's numerous emotions, from the far end of sadness to the far end of joy. Therefore, understanding and using the exact words is to pick up the thoughts and feelings you feel in the language of the exact width, depth, and height, and to look into your mind vividly.
So, how do you feel today?
Materials: Photographic Print on Paper, Foam Boards
GLOBAL QUANDARY
- Holly Fedyck
Our World is in crisis and as humanity we need to wake up. Through my immersive art sculpture: GLOBAL QUANDARY, I want to educate my audience on several trending issues: Climate Change, Pollution, LGBTQ+ Rights, Racism, Child Labour, Women's Rights, War, Ocean Crisis, Addiction, Mental Health Struggles, and the Food Crisis.
Through a looping animation projected on the inside of a Geo Dome which I constructed, viewers are meant to be immersed into a thought provoking and emotional sequence of illustrations which illustrate the worldwide issues we as humanity struggle with everyday and may not be conscious of.
The Inspiration behind my project is based off of how we see all the violence, bigotry, disturbances around the world through a screen, which evokes negative emotions and feelings but we are not always the ones physically dealing with ALL these major issues [as a country and as individuals] on a daily, monthly, yearly basis.
As I define myself to be a very empathetic individual wishing I could do more to help the world, but only being one person of billions, I always wish I could do something to help our world. Hatred, violence, and destruction in this world pains me to my soul, I feel helpless that I can’t do anything besides being educated on as much as possible, educating others, monitoring my own actions, and by trying to be an open minded person.
Materials: Dome: Bamboo, tape, dental floss, needle, string. Animation: AE, Premiere Pro, ProCreate
little universes all around you
- Anika Wallis
This piece is intended for anyone who loves or hates tattoos; I wanted to show the practice in a different light, as if it were a painting or drawing. I also wanted to illustrate my concept, which is inspired by the word, “Sonder” - the idea everyone you see or pass has a uniquely complex life, but you will never know anything about it. A tattoo is a window into that universe, hence the illustration of 2 hands reaching into the milky way. Even if a tattoo doesn't mean anything to the viewer personally, thus the "blah, blah, blah," it still can tell you something about that person.
Materials: Artificial skin, Tattoo machine & supplies, Ink, frame
You.
- Steffie Wong
A collection of shattered mirror pieces allow You to embrace your flaws and be proud of who you are.
What are your everyday thoughts when you look at yourself in the mirror? Are you overwhelmed? We all have insecurities - You allows you to focus more on your positive qualities rather than your flaws. The replica of the brain shows all of your thoughts, the good and the bad. The shattered mirror pieces represent the good qualities of yourself. Below lie the positive affirmations that we should all say to ourselves daily, boosting our confidence and self-esteem.
My reasoning while creating this replica comes from my low self-esteem and tendency to overthink. I constantly doubt or look down on myself. Wanting to create a positive change for myself and others, I chose to create this to hopefully take one step closer to boosting my positive mindset.
Materials: Paper Mache Clay, Aluminum Foil, Paint
Light of Korea
- Gia Choi
In this piece, I was inspired by famous Korean figures known worldwide. I created a layered paper art in which I utilized lighting. The subjects are modern Korean idol groups and figures, like Black Pink and BTS, Korean finger heart, K-drama Squid Game, a figure skater Yuna Kim aka Yuna Queen and soccer player Son Heung-min from Tottenham Hotspur. They all made Korea widely known and proud, which is why I named the artwork "Light of Korea". Although as a nation, Korea is contributing so much to the world there is still a lack of knowledge about Korean culture and it's icons. As a proud Korean, I aimed to dedicate my art exhibit project to my nation and the culture.
Materials: Colored papers, led lights
Dreams of Solitude
- Braeden Mey
Inspired by Studio Ghibli's "Castle in the Sky", Dreams of Solitude reflects on the pleasure of being alone with oneself.
Since I was a child, the concept of a floating island in the sky was a very magical and serene thing I would dream of, and I would often wish I could go see one myself. Isolated from the rest of the world, it would be a place to escape from our noisy reality and let my mind wander.
I have always found a lot of pleasure in being by myself, and being alone with my thoughts. This magical sky island is a representation of the feeling I get from being alone with my thoughts, and the little ghost on top represents my consciousness traveling to this dream-like place when in solitude.
Materials: Clay, Acrylic Paint, Sculpting Wire, Styrofoam, Moss, Artificial Flower Petals, Cotton.
The Cyclamen of Life
- Martica Jilek
For this project I wanted to display the unfurling Cyclamen Plant. I wanted to showcase the beauty and the intricacies of the plant sprouting, uncoiling, and blooming and have it be as realistic as possible.
It is amazing to see how something as simple as a plain sheet of paper can be transformed into something completely new when one folds, paints and glues it to another sheet of paper.
I wanted to combine my love for paper, stationary and my new drawing and painting abilities to create an art piece that can be physically enjoyed by everyone.
Materials: A4 and Construction Paper, Markers, Pencil Crayons, Paint, and Glue
In the Pit
- Caelan Schram-Smith
My piece is about the inner child, and what many of us have done to it. As we grow up, it is expected of us to do away with childhood. We understand that the world is horrible, and there is no hope. These ideas conflict with our inner selves. Our love and curiosity for life is slowly replaced with a cold vitriol for all things wondrous.
In part, it is because we fear what things have become, and we must suppress that painful point until it becomes acceptance. We kill our inner child that it might stop crying. However, I do not think this is our only choice. Our inner child should be a beacon - we should listen to its cry lest we become apathetic to our world. It is a call to action, to make things better.
To view the entire book, click here: In The Pit
Materials: Digital Book
Abstract Self-Portrait
- Liam Fitzmaurice
I tried to create an abstract self portrait that paid tribute to classical paintings and artists such as Picasso or certain renaissance artists, but with a modern approach and digital tools. I believe these genres of paintings can be created in other ways beyond canvas and paintbrush. I love painting but have never been the best at the traditional methods. My goal was to avoid using reference images from internet and instead create this whole piece from scratch with the reference images that I created. By emphasizing the grungy and sad emotion, I related my piece to expressive movement. Also, utilizing the acrylic texture and colour palette, I replicated the painterly look to my piece.
Materials: Photoshop, High Quality Printed photos, Foam Board and Tape
The Super Robot
- Coghniy Song
My design is created to re-live my own nostalgic moment as a child. Back in the old days, I was a kid who understood my passions and interests, and I did whatever I wanted. Now, as an adult, the pursuit of my dreams has become such a harsh task. The main goal for this project became diving into my old, fundamental passions and interests and proceeding with my dreams.
This sculpture is mostly created with clay and wire. The core frame of the robot is built with multiple wires that function like human joints. The frame and joints needed to be strong enough to support the heaviness of the art clay.
The robot is from a drawing of my own design.
Materials: Clay, Wire, Wood
Zen 禅
- Mai Yukioka
Zen Garden represents my country, Japan, and the simplicity and the harmony of my culture. Zen gardens can help to cultivate a sense of inner peace, mindfulness, and connection to nature. Also they are a powerful tool for improving mental and emotional well-being due to their simple design and natural elements like rocks and sand.
My main goal was to express this feeling by creating my own Zen beach environment. I used to collect sand in Japan because I like the texture and how it flows through my fingers. Vancouver is close to the ocean, that makes me feel protected by the sea turtles. Sea turtles are known as the guardian gods of the sea, bringing good luck.
When I moved to Vancouver, the beaches reminded me of my hometown.
This exhibition invites the audience to explore how you feel as you engage in the experience of a Zen Garden.
Materials: Paper clay, paint, sand, stone, plants
Tangled
- Natasha Gill
I started crocheting when I was 12 years old, and ever since, it has been a part of my life. I discovered it through a club at my middle school and found it interesting so, I started to do it during my free time outside of school. It soon became one of my favourite hobbies. Crocheting really helps me find peace of mind whenever things get hectic around me, and it helps me center myself. I chose to crochet a garden because I think that gardens have that same sense of serenity and peace that crocheting brings to me.
Materials: Yarn
Tied Down
- Rodrigo Fernandez
This project is to find a way to represent anxiety. However, everyone deals with anxiety differently so I would represent how it feels and affects me. The best way I can explain how anxiety feels for me, would be trapped, constrained with no room to breathe and a physical heavy toll on my body. In order to represent this, I created a sculpture of a person made entirely out of wire to represent the constraining and heavy toll that anxiety can take on your body and mental health. The reason I also decided to use a small and thin wire as my material, is to represent how anxiety can act on a person, even though at the beginning it can be small and not a big deal, once you begin to pile it up more and more, the heavier and more difficult to deal with it becomes.
Materials: Wire and Aluminum foil
Sole Story
- Haley Wheeler
I have always had a passion for fixing up old clothing and decided for this project to learn how to embroider! I learned how to embroider these old shoes I thrifted to give new meaning and life back to them. Making different designs of flowers on each shoe gave them their own original touch. I started to embroider everywhere as it became part of my daily routine and I grew a passion for it. Next, I see myself doing more intricate designs as it brings me a lot of joy turning an old shoe into a colourful, unique piece of art. My main reason for learning how to embroider is not always having to buy new clothes and shoes, instead creating new designs out of what I already own. Buying from thrift stores and researching brands that are environmentally friendly can make a better impact on the world as fast-fashion is taking over. Help be the change we need in the world from all this mass consumerism. You aren’t defined by what you own.
Materials: Yarn, assorted needles, three shoes, bins and live plants
Teishoku at Hot Spring ~ This is real Japanese Foods
- Ena Kaneda
My inspiration for this project was Japanese food and culture. Japanese food has been registered as a World Cultural Heritage, yet most people from other countries imagine it as Sushi. However, there is more diversity than this stereotyped version of my cultural background. Inspired by the food samples* in Japanese restaurants, I created a Japanese set meal theme for this project. I also thought it would be interesting to make the ingredients look like people soaking in miso soup, so I created this piece with the image of a hot spring - another element representative of the culture of Japan.
In my piece, I created a tray of Japanese food characters, and portrayed a hot spring facility in which each dish is offered with similar services one can receive in an actual hot spring.
*Food sample: Replica of food products in which the menu is easily recognizable.
Materials: Polymer claw, stone claw and paper clay. Acrylic paint, UV resin, wood, cloth, masking tape, aluminum foil
The Nine-Coloured Deer
- Ivy Yan
Nine-Colored Deer is a myth in China. With this mural, I tell the story of a deer that saved people when natural disasters struck, gained the power of human belief, and became a deer god.
China has a long history, and art and culture are also full of charm. I want to share more Chinese culture and art with you. This work takes the form of a mural, and to mimic the texture of the fresco, I used plaster. And the use of watercolor paints makes the work look closer to the texture of fresco.
I took inspiration from the Dunhuang murals, using traditional Chinese color palette, making the nine-colored deer in the painting style reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty.
The typesetting of the drawings refers to the form of Egyptian fresco, so that a complete story can be presented on one painting.
Materials: Plaster, Watercolour
