“At each milestone, we’ve been told time and again that to reach success, stay on the beaten path, which means to follow the well-known road—The Loop. That road was: study hard, pass the exams, get the diploma, get the degree, get the job, advance the career, and arrive at the top—paradise. However, we realized that all roads lead to the promised land. Thus, in search of our versions of paradise, we each chose a road not taken. How far to travel, how high to climb, how rough, slippery, muddy, or treacherous the path is matters not because each step taken advances toward the mountain’s peak. The Artist is a crafty person and when stuck between a rock and a hard place, they create the tools needed to dig their way out. We artists invite you to join us and pave the rocky road to paradise.”

-IBDP2 Visual Artists

Guests watch a musical performance from Coldplay as red flowers fall.

“It’s not just a surprise, it’s amazing! That’s great!  -邬瑞祥William Wu, Student Activities Coordinator

“The event was a resounding success showcasing the exceptional art pieces created by our DP2 students” -Jhony Vivas, IB Coordinator

Audiences agree the 2024 exhibition was like none other before! It was held in three locations across the BNDS campus: the Hall of Ties, the area outside and adjacent to it dubbed “The Lab” by students, and the new Students Activities Center near the main high school dubbed “The Greenhouse”. It began with a video produced by the students and then student presentations began.

周乐仪 Felcita’s exhibition is about “Wordless, which refers to a common human experience of not being able to express feelings or thoughts in verbal language. In my daily life, I frequently find it difficult to express my inner world to others. I hope to explore various causes for such discomfort through visual elements—a more intuitive form of expression. Sometimes words are not enough for our needs, other times they’re forbidden. Yet, we still rely on this tool as our primary form of communication. Thus, thematically, I intend for my audiences to experience a state of being where intuition and empathy are essential for understanding, where words take a back seat.”

Bursting Heart, 2024, Markers on Wood Strips, 48 x 40 x 14cm (Framed)

薛宛芮Ruby’s exhibition “intends to encourage the audience to question the role of repetitive everyday objects, artistic labor, and the consumption of art. When intimacy is reproduced by the repetitive products and information, I want to retell the narration of the discovery of the new into old fables. By presenting ordinary objects transformed into miniature perpetual machines generating a rational narrative of partial reality, I aim to create a delicate sense of detachment and provoke a reevaluation of the familiar, as an uncanny valley of modern art.”

孔佑博Alan states his exhibition “revolve around the concept of the “loop”. The loop is known as something in that its end is connected back to its starting point. I defined the loop as infinite, a law, or an attitude. Through my exhibition, I intend to let my audience get new ideas and feelings about the loop and can deeply think about whether they are actually in a loop and, if so, what will this loop be.

The Rotation and Revolution of a Butterfly, 2024, Card Paper, Metal, String, 76 x 61 x 51cm

李悠扬Lucas states his “exhibition relates to my ideal of the artistic world beyond any historically existing societal form. It expresses my intellectual journey on my ideal mainly from a semiotic perspective, blending critique of the status quo and imagination, with the artworks gradually covering components of the semiotic thoughts I utilized, aiding the audience in conceptually assembling the artworks’ meanings for a comprehensive understanding.”

Only Lift Means Lift!, 2024, Glass Fiber Stones, Mirrors, Grass Powder, String, Helium-filled Balloon, 150 x 130 x 120cm

At the end of the night, students listened to our guest artist, 薛若哲Xue Ruozhe. He shared his artistic journey from an art student at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing to an internationally successful professional artist.

Left to right: Artists薛宛芮Ruby, 李悠扬Lucas, 周乐仪 Felcita, 王子游Mr. Arty and 孔佑博 Alan stand together celebrating their 2+ years of art-making together.

The entire night was filled with magic created by these exceptional young artists who continue to climb higher and higher. The exhibition remains open until April 30^th, 2024, at “The Lab” and “The Greenhouse”.