AP 2-D
Georgetown Preparatory School｜Georgetown, Maryland
ZiYuan Chen
Chen
Dimensions: 15” x 12”｜Materials: ceramic, projector, processing, ink, calligraphy brush, pencil｜Processes: creating an interactive installation controlled by waving hands above the leap motion and a software｜Idea(s): Covered face reflect people growing neglect of human interaction in this fast-paced reality.
Student statement and Transcript
Student statement and Transcript
Listen to the student statement
The title of my featured work is "Live Painting," where my sustained investigation was merely about the cultural restorations and the efficiency of doing so. Throughout the inquiry process, I started investigating professors and calligraphers in China. It was very interesting because they provided me with a unique perspective on the similarities and differences between Eastern and Western art. Therefore, I never changed my mind. Talking about the written evidence, I had to do drafts in different languages to seek the most precise vocabulary that expressed my thoughts and came along with the visual representation.
I did a lot of practice and experimenting in my portfolio, especially in choosing projectors where I had to remember which performed the most Chinese calligraphy, had similar patterns, and had the most visualized texture. Throughout the material-choosing process, I started choosing classic and traditional Chinese material named Talsu, but unfortunately, both take approximately 90 days to develop fully. Therefore, I chose plaster, a Western representative material—especially in architecture and sculpture. In this artwork, I always sought a combination or a mix of Eastern and Western art; therefore, this material choice helped me do so. I wouldn't say my work referred from any existing works, but I would say that all interaction-themed art pieces inspired me a lot because I am interested in the interaction between different cultural backgrounds and especially artistic backgrounds. Because I thought it was challenging but also interesting to combine two unique things.
Lastly, I want to say thank you, and I appreciate it to my art teacher, Miss Russell, back in my high school Georgetown Prep. She created an interesting and non-stressful environment while this portfolio was being developed. My high school wasn't a big artistic school, but everyone supported me and loved the idea of seeking a balance between East and Western art. Also, my school supported me by supporting my club, the Asian—study club, which made me feel responsible for spreading and acknowledging information like this. Honestly, I think you have to be yourself and turn your unique thoughts and ideas into interesting, visualized representations. I think that's about it. Thank you very much.
Dimensions: 15” x 12”｜Materials: ceramic, projector, processing, ink, calligraphy brush, pencil｜Process(es): visualizing processing coding structure details, leap motion adjustment, and the randomness of the graph.
Teacher statement
Teacher statement
Robin Russell
I have been teaching AP Art and Design for about 20 years and love the course changes. This new portfolio supports students at various levels of technical abilities. The focus on inquiry-based learning allows students to embark on their personalized learning journey. We begin the year as a class, exploring what it means to develop a sustained investigation and what that might look like. The students start with writing at the beginning of the year and continue using it as part of their exploration throughout the course. They begin to see the importance of the written and visual evidence of the creative process. I try to instill in them the “journey down the river” that we are all taking together and to embrace what they will learn through their research, art-making with their classmates, and art history. I want them to be open to the possibilities that will come up and allow themselves space to experiment and grow. I am lucky to teach in an environment where this type of learning is encouraged and supported.
I look forward to the new group of students and what I will learn from them each year.
Dimensions: 15” x 12”｜Materials: ceramic, projector, processing, ink, calligraphy brush, pencil｜Process(es): visualizing processing coding structure details, leap motion adjustment, and the randomness of the graph.
ZiYung Chen
