IB visual arts exhibition inspires our local community

We welcomed students from the European International School, Australian International School and International School Ho Chi Minh City who commented on how the pieces were “inspirational for other art students” and how they can “hope to learn from these amazing installations” for their own Arts courses in the coming years. Lilo’s work was particularly relatable for the international school students, growing up away from their home country; “ [Her work] brought a great insight into her life as a third culture kid.” 

Lilo - A Journey of Nostalgia

Lilo took us on a journey of nostalgia through her childhood memories. Iconic everyday objects such as retro telephones and cameras were interspersed with surreal memory snapshots captured on canvas. Whilst her memories are very much personal, she expressed the feeling of nostalgia in such a way that it resonated with viewers of every generation, specifically for members of the international community who have undergone the same transition through culture shock all the way to acceptance and assimilation. Warm tones and a sense of stillness in her work gave us the feeling we are looking back in time.

HaEun - Discovery of the Self

Adjacent to Lilo’s collection, we found another exploration of identity and self-development influenced by different cultures. HaEun also explored the intricacies of moving to new countries, represented by her piece “The Forest Stage” depicting growing trees being transplanted in new forests and absorbing the nutrients from each environment with every move. With the symbolism of nature appearing throughout, her work addresses societies limiting expectations of its citizens.  Age bias is represented by the rings of a tree on acrylic board obscuring her identity behind, whilst hands tied in ribbons hold her back from expressing her true identity.

Susu - A Vietnamese Upbringing 

Susu comments on the traditions, beliefs and expectations of Vietnamese children, particularly females whose trajectories are often decided before they are grown. Through the lens of a Vietnamese Gambling game ‘Bầu Cua Cá Cọp'
(Gourd Crab Fish Tiger) Susu commented on the unfair bias that Vietnamese women face in the pressure to choose a traditional housewife role over another profession of their own. In Khi Em Lớn Lên (When I grow up), she explored the tradition of Thoi Noi, where an infant chooses from an array of objects to decide their fate, paradoxically taking away their choice for the future. Similarly to Lilo, Susu also experimented with the theme of memories through the innovative use of a lightbox. Viewers were able to peek through the holes in the wooden box to inspect fragments of the memory bit by bit. 

Kathy - Breaking Beauty Standards

Following on from the expectations placed on children by society, Kathy addressed the pressures placed on females in society to be beautiful and slim. She also highlighted the contradictory act of victim blaming in cases of sexual assault where females are placed at fault for being too beautiful. In her first piece, we saw two women’s faces in a circle frame, almost as a reflection in a bathroom mirror. The first was in black charcoal, angular and hard, juxtaposed with a fragile mask in red string, representing the disconnect between women’s true selves and the mask society makes them wear. In “It Doesn’t Matter” we saw a doll behind an acrylic sheet. Observed from one angle, the doll wears a crop top and mini skirt, whilst from another she wears a baggy white t-shirt and trousers. 

Purpy - A Caged Bird 

Purpy also examined themes of female expectations and social pressures, using a variety of mediums including acrylic sheets, wire and sellotape. In both “Wing” and “Confinement” Purpy used the idea of a trapped bird as a metaphor for the oppression of women in society. “Confinement” depicts a woman’s body inside a wire cage. Viewers were invited to interact with the piece, by asking their opinions on caged birds. After writing their answers on cards, viewers tied them to the cage in matching red string; this element really brought on another level of depth to the piece. The hole in the cage representing that it is possible to break free was then further supported by her angelic “Wing” symbolising the pursuit of freedom.

Edie - The Ego Vs. Confidence

Edie’s work reflects on the relationship between the ego, power and confidence with gender and sexuality. The viewers were confronted by a very raw charcoal sketch depicting a vulnerable woman, whilst next to her was a very bold two-headed Kanye West. The positioning of the pieces exposed the relationship between the ego and its effect on those subjected to it. Her pieces then went on to tell a very different story. The symbolism of a black widow spider and an iconic photography series of the drag queens of Saigon demonstrated an aura of confidence, and defiance, as they took back their power. 

Vivian - Experiencing a Pandemic 

Vivian’s pieces resonated with almost everyone who viewed them and really captured the emotions of a collective human experience during the covid-19 pandemic. With a focus on her own experiences in lockdown in Vietnam, Vivian tells a story of her family dynamics through emotive brushstrokes in oil on canvas. The feeling of isolation, loneliness and frustration leaps out of the portraits, whilst a Tracey Emin-inspired pillow surrounded by flu medicine packets transports us back to the surreal moment in time we all experienced. Finally, the scene of busy traffic on a Vietnamese road brings us back to normal when life finally returned to Ho Chi Minh City.  

Inspiring a Community

Our Head of Secondary campus, Mr Sean O’Neill spoke during the opening night on the effort and dedication of our students and the support provided by their art teachers.

“It is hundreds and hundreds of hours of work of care, of dedication, of problem-solving, of just sheer love that has gone into the work that we are being inspired by this evening.” 





Their hard work and passion for their subject was not only evident in the artwork itself but in the detail and explanations that went into their process portfolios and the curation of the exhibition itself. Guests could even take the time to sit and listen to a film of the students talking about their themes, inspirations and intentions for their work. The 150 guests that joined on the opening night were also welcomed by exquisite music performances from one of our talented BISHCMC bands. 



Many of the guests over the 4 days signed our welcome book and we’d like to share some of these with you:


“Outstanding work of art! The intensity of emotions and feelings depicted through the variety of themes and mediums used is absolutely impressive. Speaks a lot about the maturity and sensibility of the students. Huge congratulations” - Neelani

“All the sleepless nights definitely paid off” - Thai An, Theresa (BIS students)

“This art exhibition is one of the finest I have witnessed in a long long time. My best wishes to the thoughtful, talented young women artists.” - Unknown

“Motivating and inspirational messages and depth, with a real cause to reflect and even uplift one in a ‘call to action; Incredibly moving and impressive” - Sean and Kirstie 

And from Ms Savannah Craig, the art teacher who led these IB students through this incredibly difficult and rewarding journey:

"Art is of course, a way of expressing oneself and this group of young women bare their souls in this exhibition. It has been a pleasure working with these confident, skilled and motivated students. Their work is inspiring, confronting and truly brave. I look forward to hearing about these talented artists in the coming years as they forge their creative paths in university and beyond. I hope they are extremely proud of this exhibition and the work they have created."

Congratulations to our seven artists and our art department who supported them through this journey on this truly phenomenal exhibition.