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Exploring Identity
Exploring Identity Identity through Art
For Sarah Isusi’s Advanced Placement 2D Design class, three seniors explored the theme of identity through a sustained investigation, as they created a series of 15 pieces of artwork throughout the school year . “What they are doing is brave and relevant,” said Ms . Isusi . “Each student is addressing her experience as a Jewish American girl, a Korean American, and Filipino American .” All artwork was featured in the GSB Spring Art Show .
Lila Mortensen ’21
“Sharing my cultural identity with the hope of broadening the perspectives of others is the goal of my sustained investigation. Personal growth and realization were also a part of my artistic process, as I was able to learn more and transform aspects of my South Korean culture into unique and compelling interpretations. Some pieces remind me of experiences from my youth, while others are more generalized and universal to South Korean culture, such as the Dancheong pattern, green tea teacup, and rose of Sharon pieces.”
Mady Most ’21
“My heritage and religion are an essential part of me. I live my life with the guidelines of Judaism. I embody these values: family, peace, love, and Tikkun Olam (repair of the world). The question I asked myself during the investigation was: How can I make others understand my heritage? How can I depict the generational trauma that still haunts the Jews to this day? The main themes are personal anti-Semitic experiences, my identity, and symbols that align with Judaism.”
Ella Baker ’21
“With Filipino and European ancestry, these aspects of my identity complement, compare, and conflict with each other. At first, I created pieces that centered more around the negative aspects of being mixed. With the rise of anti-Asian hate at the pandemic’s start, the strife between these two sides of myself induced a pessimistic attitude towards my heritage. I came to realize that there was beauty to my complex heritage; I embraced the uniqueness of a family tree spread across both halves of the globe. I saw myself as a product of two beautiful cultures coming together.”
