The Studio 1 class finished the semester with a printmaking assignment. After looking at artwork by Mexico's Taller de Grafica Popular and learning about how printmaking has been used as a way to advocate social change, they created their own designs on social and environmental issues. These prints were carved out of linoleum. Along with plain black prints, the students were asked to create one altered print and also submit a statement about their artwork. Included here are excerpts from their statements.
Gaurav A, Grade 12
Aurnab S, Grade 12
In order to ensure gender equality, women’s dignity and security, and maintaining France’s tradition of secularism, the French government has outlawed wearing fully covering Islamic veils or “niqabs”. After reading an article about a woman in niqab who was attacked by a woman who claimed that she was just trying to take off her veil, I realized that this law is not promoting equality but is separating the Muslim French people from those that are not Muslim. The print I made depicts a woman lifting her niqab, revealing a French flag on her skin. The flag suggests the idea that although a French woman’s physical appearance is hidden by a veil she is still French and changing her religious customs does not make her more French.
Dipika H, Grade 12
The central idea behind my series of prints is the limited number of tigers left in the world. These prints depict a tiger’s face and the Chinese symbol for this endangered species. […] I stand strongly against poaching and hunting of wild species and this was the main reason I picked Tiger as my subject for this series of prints.
Pavisa K, Grade 11
There are a lot of things in the world that can divide people in multiple groups: gender, nationality, occupation, caste, and even religion. However, religion tends to be the biggest thing that completely separates people, even people with the same nationality. […] The messages below are to convey Christian and Muslim to be together and united and to bring peace. Overall, this printmaking is a message to those people to stop conflicts so that everyone will be in peace.
Zarka S, Grade 11
The print highlights the little-known topic of forced impregnation associated with crimes like human trafficking, prevalent in domestic violence as well. […] I wanted the print to convey how such abuse not only hampers the natural process that sustains life but also destroys the victim, both physically and mentally.
Hyeeun C, Grade 11
I chose this topic because cyber bullying has become a big problem in the twenty first century. In Korea, people started giving negative comments on others pictures or blogs just because the others could not see them. A large number of Korean celebrities suffered from cyber bullying. Their privacy was exposed to public and they were humiliated publically. It became more and more intense that it led them to commit suicide. Although celebrities sue the netizens, internet or cyber citizens, who are responsible for the cyber bullying, netizens still attack them and hurt them in different ways possible. Not only the celebrities committed suicide but also a lot of common people who were bullied committed suicide.
Makani N, Grade 12
The slaughtering of dolphins occurs for six months every year. In Taiji, Japan, thousands of dolphins are corralled into a small, hidden cove. Several are chosen to perform at various entertainment spots by trainers from around the world...those are the semi-lucky ones. the others are slaughtered and their mercury poisoned meat is sold in the markets of Japan or as school lunch-meat marked as another product with no warning label as to the intoxication of the meat.
Sanjana D, Grade 11
India is a highly corrupt nation, where bribing is so common that people don’t even consider it wrong or unusual anymore. In India every citizen is corrupt on some level but the root of corruption lies in the Indian politics. Ironically, the politicians that elected by the citizens to battle issues such as corruption and who are trusted to spend all the tax money on welfare projects are the ones who are the very foundation of corruption.
Benjamin T, Grade 12
Akriti P, Grade 11
One of the biggest predicaments that the world is facing today is global warming and unnecessary destruction of the environment. Along with the environment, marine life and endangered species have been under threat-immensely after the gulf war in 1996. Due to Japanese traditions and sea wars- whales have been under threat and are dying rapidly. The oil spills have been polluting waters continuously and Japan has been whaling for decades as a ‘tradition.’
Shailab S, Grade 11
Luniva, Grade 11
Global warming has caused loss of biodiversity and destruction of habitat. Animals are being killed for their fur, for recreation, because they are perceived as dangerous creatures. But with this artwork I hope to emphasize the fact that animals are dieing – all because of human ignorance. We need to wake up. We need to know.
Rahul D, Grade 11
Pandamonium is uprising. The cute panda is juxtaposed with a cold machine gun because they don’t fit together. It is meant to represent the social chaos but is neither for or against it. I thought of the symbol when I was thinking over the riots in Nepal, where old grandmas as well as five year olds would take up arms. Appearances were only an illusion and I was moved by this.
Tara D, Grade 11
