Vivian Yang, 17, Hong Kong
‘Man Meets Nature’
We are often overloaded by technology and man-made products. Even though
our age is technologically advanced, we should never lose sight of nature. With that message in mind, I synthesized man and nature.
Jennifer Zheng, 18, China
‘Good Fortune Is Here!’
Inspired by Liu Bolin’s camouflage pieces, the red poster is significant in traditional Chinese culture. The character “福” hung backwards creates a pun which means “good fortune is here.” This piece investigates the idea of the individual conforming to social standards.
Margaret Wang, 18, Singapore
‘Ms Bitty’
A self-portrait that only includes the self peripherally, composed of 1,344 photos of other people. The work reflects the self in society, thereby diminishing the value of the self.
Jessica Hwang, 18, South Korea
‘The Moment’
My encounter with Heaven’s Lake was one of the memorable moments of my life in China. The lake is sacred in Korean history, as it is the site of Korea’s legendary first kingdom, Gojoseon.
Cherie Li, 16, China
‘Grandfather Portrait’
My grandfather spent his entire life in China and watched it transform over the decades. He epitomizes the past and all that was lost with time. Simultaneously, he represents optimistic perseverance; he continued to adapt to the changing environment without neglecting the old traditions of China. I want to convey his
incredible life experience and illustrate the importance of preserving history and culture.
Yoyo Yang, 17, Germany
‘Sunrise in the Mountains’
This piece captures the 4am sunrise during a camping trip. It wasn’t warm or golden like the sunrise at sea level, but cold and dim. There was only contrast
enough in the color of the night sky to make out the contour of the mountains.
Freda Zhao, 17, Canada
“Fourth Level and Eighth Circle”
This diptych inspired by Hieronymus Bosch and Francis Bacon represents a dichotomy in the human state. Sloth makes the self retreat and avoid reality, adopting a mask to remain faceless; greed fills the human heart with insatiable desire while supporting the self by creating a purpose to exist.
Kristy Cheung, 18, Canada
‘Through the Looking Glass’
An ominous presence creates a surreal and manipulated perspective. Altering the photograph into fragments, the viewer’s eye is forced to bounce back and forth as if they were being led into an alternate world.
Jeeah Eom, 19, South Korea
‘Mother’
The drawing of the hands grabbing a trash bag represents my mother’s daily repetitive routines. Trash bags often have negative connotations, just as chores are seen as insignificant. I wanted to appreciate these ordinary tasks and the work behind them. The overlapping faces suggest the connection between mother and daughter.
Kevin Wu, 17, US
‘Reminiscence’
This piece explores the relationship between individuals and the universe.
This article originally appeared on p52-53 of the beijingkids May 2014 issue. Check out the PDF version online at Issuu.com.