Eight students traveled to the International School of Manila (ISM) for the IASAS Cultural Convention for Art and Film where students explored their passions through workshops and collaborative projects with fellow IASAS students and professional artists.
Here, we catch up with two ISKL CULCON Art delegates Lucy A. (‘23) and Rianna B. (‘23) to find out about what workshops they attended, what new art techniques they picked up and also their most memorable moments as a team.
Here are their stories:
Lucy A. (’23)
Tell us more about some of the workshops you participated in Manila.
At the convention, there were a total of 4 workshops; three were professionally led, where Filipino artists taught each one focused on different fields.
The first was a papercutting introduction, which involved folding and cutting shapes into the paper to make delicate shapes and patterns. The second was led by two well-known street artists, who taught us the different techniques and manners of spray paint. The third workshop was an experimental exploration, where you take non-conventional tools (such as soya sauce, string, and leaves) and try to create art from them. All these workshops were utterly new to me, and it was so much fun learning how others make art!
The final workshop was more student-based and was an activity provided by the International School Manila (ISM). There were around 12 paper mache carabao (Filipino water buffalo), and the delegates were asked to paint them. A couple of groups comprised a single school, while the rest mingled and formed randomly compiled groups. I enjoyed this workshop as it was a way of meeting new people and creating art as a group.
Please describe the artwork you exhibited at the IASAS Cultural Convention for Film and Art.
The artwork I submitted for IASAS Art was somewhat unconventional if I say so myself!
IASAS is mainly a two-dimensional (2D) exhibition, so it was unique when I showed up with my glass-blown piece called “A Little Soul,” a glass ball rolled in frit (broken up colored glass), twisted and shaped into what it is now. This was the product of my first glassblowing experience, and I was pretty proud of it! Working with a new medium is always scary, especially molten liquids.
Creating something is a feeling that is very important to me, and I will continue to act on it in the future.
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during IASAS Culcon.
The most memorable moment as a team for me might have been setting up the exhibition. As traveling delegates, one of our tasks is to set up all 25 pieces of art we brought from Malaysia in the exhibition hall. All of us are trying to find the best spots for work, hammering then rehammering nails in place, and trying not to trip on the bubble wrap.
All of us working together to show off what we have made was a special moment for me.
As an artist, what new techniques or things did you gain/learn through your experience there?
I learned to expand my knowledge in 2D, although I prefer working with mediums such as sculpting and soldering over painting or drawing. The IASAS Culcon, however, is mainly made up of 2D artists, so working with them over the three days allowed me to see a side of 2D that I had never thought of before.
The other students had so many different art styles and techniques that it was almost impossible not to learn anything. The teachers also brought many new experiences to the table. Spray painting was an entirely new medium that I would love to work with in the future, and experimenting with different non-traditional art supplies has opened up options for new ways to create.
Rianna B. (’23)
Tell us more about some of the workshops you participated in Manila.
We had four main workshops; paper cutting, spray painting, painting with unconventional materials, and carabao mural painting. Each workshop was hosted by a professional artist experienced in their respective field.
In the paper-cutting workshop, we learned how to use the simple and easy-to-access paper medium to create intricate designs using an Exacto knife. We were taught how to manipulate the spray cans and make unique characters in the spray painting workshop.
For the unconventional materials workshop, we were challenged to use soy sauce and other household condiments to create paintings. In the mural workshop, we split off into groups of students from all the schools and painted plaster carabao to represent the theme of ‘Pamana.’ (Legacy).
Tell us more about the artwork you created for the IASAS Cultural Convention for Film and Art.
The artwork I created was named Monarch of the Cosmic Deep and featured a character I had designed. The vision I had for this character was for them to present as a ruler of the seas, which I had tried to show through the underwater setting, the extravagant jewelry adorning the character, body language, and tentacles. The character was made with reference to some traditional jewelry and clothing from India, which draws from my own culture.
Describe your most memorable moments as a team during IASAS Culcon.
The most memorable moments were when we did the workshops. I found it awe-inspiring to see how every student could adapt to these foreign mediums, seemingly with ease. Everyone was so talented, and their works were amazing, which made me want to improve as an artist. That also made our exhibition memorable to me, getting to see the variety of art styles each school had presented and the impressive techniques used. Being surrounded by so many creative individuals was an exhilarating experience.
As an artist, what new techniques or things did you gain/learn through your experience there?
As an artist, I found it challenging to experience new media, and I learned a lot by engaging with other artists. For example, I struggled greatly with the paper-cutting workshop, which taught me how to wield a blade and visualize patterns when experimenting more carefully. It also taught me to be more patient when tackling new mediums for the first time, which helped with the following workshops.
In addition, throughout IASAS Art, we got feedback on our work from students and one of the professionals who ran the workshop. I learned a lot about how others perceived the meaning of my art and how I could also push myself further.
Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always has an anecdote to tell, loves to share some insights into their passions and interests, or simply is a Panther through and through? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.
