Dover Court International School (DCIS) GCSE Art Exhibition on 4th May 2023 was a wonderful showcase of creativity and artistic talent. As one of the school's core values, creativity is encouraged and celebrated in all areas of the curriculum, and the art exhibition is a perfect example of this.
The exhibition is a culmination of two years of hard work and features a range of artwork created by students as part of their GCSE coursework. Students undertake self-directed projects based around their teacher and self-selected topics and are assessed based on two components – internally sat coursework and externally sat examinations. In preparation for the GCSE Art, students embarked on a field trip to Gilman Barracks to look at the work of different artists for inspiration and have consultations with the teacher to refine their work.
“Ms Cole guided me a lot with searching for new ideas. The school supported us with all the supplies for the projects and if I’m struggling or have a lack of ideas, Ms Cole will get me to search on Pinterest or try out different mediums and see which I like the most,” said Sharenya, a Year 11 student.
Each piece of work showcases the unique creative expression and individuality of the student, and it is a testament to the school's commitment to fostering creativity. The student’s sketchbooks on display also show us their thought process and insights into their ‘Colour Choices’, ‘Digital Experiments’, ‘Compositional Studies’ and more.
Himaja, a Year 11 student shared more about the different media used for the four artworks: "Firstly, for Natural Form, I made a quilt and worked with fabric, sewing machine and hand stitching. For Telling Stories, I used ink and a technique called etching and for Reflections, I used ink and pen. Finally, for Lock, I painted on a canvas and used a wall putty to create a figure on top of it.”
Students are assessed based on how they develop and explore ideas, research primary and contextual sources, experiment with media, materials and techniques.
"The Year 11 students have worked tirelessly to produce some fantastic, unique, and creative art. Every student has achieved work that challenged their ideas and skills, and ultimately, they have a deeper understanding of themselves and their own identity. The exhibition was a fantastic evening, and it was wonderful to see how proud they were of their work. They have been a pleasure to teach throughout the two-year course and I have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing their progression and learning, as well as their weird and wonderful works!” said Leonie Cole, Subject Leader for Visual Arts and Design Technology.
Beyond showcasing the students' artistic talents, the exhibition also provides an opportunity for students, staff and parents to come together and appreciate the unique perspectives of each student.
Find out more about Dover Court’s Secondary school curriculum here.
