It is notoriously difficult to define an art exhibition of any nature. Dr Constanze Schummer, the IB coordinator aptly summed this up in her comment: “Art doesn’t come with a manual.” But being creative can often reveal some hidden qualities and the 2020 cohort expressed these in abundance. Art, therefore, is not for the faint-hearted but with perseverance, the results can be extraordinary as was evidenced by installations, animations, digital and analogue photography collided with more traditional art forms in this year's show. 

The exhibition on 19 March 2020 consisted of the majority of the 13 art students’ work and embodied such themes as self-identity in a global world, relationships that form and splinter, environmental architecture and especially time, both symbolically and literal. Some of the highlights included: Yixuan’s “Samara” that marked time by droplets flowing unhurriedly from one ceramic pot to another; and the imposing “Angel of Darkness” that combined death and flight over a sacrosanct environment, created by Sofia.

Just days before the exhibition, our originally planned and highly favourable venue in Überlingen had to be cancelled due to precautions against the coronavirus. This led to a complete readjustment on how the works would be recorded for the IB exams. With remarkable resolve, the students showed their maturity by adjusting to each new challenge with calmness and extraordinary flexibility, working in very restricted spaces in the art studios, while being fully supported by administration. For me, my lasting memory will be how under these adverse conditions, the positive character of each participant shone through when needed, bringing together unity from fractured proposals.  

Greg Williams, IB Art Teacher