Grade 12 - 2012 Kyung In

The two years of my IB Visual Arts course has trained me to become a more analytical person who is open to new ideas. I was originally interested in emotions and investigated Edvard Munch’s The Scream. I learned that the red sky in the painting was a result of the atmospheric effects caused by the eruption of Krakatoa. Thus, I became fascinated by volcanoes, which lead on to smoke and an interest in the spirituality of volcanoes particularly in Indonesia, a country whose life is dominated by their moods and activities.

I have been influenced by Johan Christian Dahl and Japanese artists Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Yokoyama Misao, as all depict volcanoes. I began working with oils, since I am able to generate similar effects to those artists using this media in thin successive layers of pure glazing.  Misao was an artist of the Nihonga tradition, and although I do not have access to the materials he employed, I am able to create a similar effect. I used heavy scumbling for smoke, and after laying down paint,  used a cloth to wipe it back to establish the thin layer effect Nihonga artists used. I have also been mesmerized by Robert Longo’s powerful depictions of smoke through the use of charcoal and actual collected volcanic ash - another media employed in earlier works. The later works in my folio have returned back to the theme of smoke. I have employed fumage, painting with actual smoke, and I wish to continue exploring other diverse media, even after IB, as I move into portraits.

Through the course, I researched by exploring cultures, histories, diverse beliefs, and analysis of artworks. I was initially nervous and hesitant creating my artworks; however, through solid practice, experiments, and experience, I have grown more confident and learnt that with courage, anything can be achieved.