AP Art Graces Nichols Hall

Student artwork was on display during the AP Art Reception, held at the Nichols Hall atrium on April 8. Students, faculty and staff arrived to view an impressive variety of two- and three-dimensional pieces, each communicating its own themes and ideas.

The work of Julian Stahl explore the concept of tension with a unique variety of thought-provoking sculptures, including a tower made of drinking straws that seemed to be stretching ever upward, and an open hand attached to a close fist, with each end pulling against the other.

One of Matthew Gehm’s pieces featured an array of white miniature figures that vaguely resembled people. Nestled into the bunch was a lone black figure, bringing to mind “the idea of conformity and hidden prejudices in society,” Gehm said.

Stephanie Guo used the art of photography to take a detailed look at various aspects of her Chinese heritage. Works on display included extreme close-ups of Chinese food packaging and rice grains resting between a pair of chopsticks.

The distinct curvatures and balletic twisting of Omar Haque’s foam and plexiglass sculptures was inspired by the movement of storms. “I really wanted to convey a sense of motion with my concentration,” he said.

Silvia Cernea’s photographic pieces were created using an ordinary digital camera, with which she captured various scenes at concerts she attended. Cernea combined some of pictures with her graphic design skills to create dazzling promotional posters for the events she photographed.

The imaginative illustrations of Melody Lee told an “Alice in Wonderland”-style story solely through images. In the uniquely conceived narrative, a small girl must jump, climb and even change shape in order to complete her journey.

The digital illustrations that Christine Yu had on display rendered everyday natural wonders such as water lilies and cherries with a painterly approach that imbued them with a distinct, lifelike quality more akin to the works created on canvas than to those made on a tablet PC.

Also working with a theme from nature was Natasha Jeswani, whose expressive paintings of various fruits were more of an exercise in interpretation than in realism. “I focused more on shapes and colors and less on perfect details and the depiction of light,” Jeswani wrote in the statement accompanying her pieces.

Lauren Moser also wisely took some creative liberties when sculpting the faces that explored the nature of human emotion. Rather than focusing on accurately depicting the biological features of the human face, the exaggerated expressions put the emotions across by cleverly utilizing the art of caricature.

Shelby Drabman’s colorful illustrations offered a unique perspective on how humans receive and interpret music. Her works abstractly featured different media from various time periods, from vinyl LPs to iPods, forming a unique narrative on how the consumption of music has changed over time.

In contrast to the abstract concepts displayed by the other artists on display, Sian Yuan’s drawings welcomed outsiders into the life of her family. By depicting her family at home and at play, Yuan hoped to convey the sense of togetherness that she feels when spending time with her loved ones.

Many of these works, as well as those of several other talented Harker students, are currently on display in the Nichols Hall atrium. Please stop by and give them the attention they deserve!