The artwork of three Beaver students – Kenzie Morris ’19, Sam Waldman ’18, and Meggee Joseph ’19 – was selected to be featured in the Page Waterman Gallery’s Next-Up! exhibition.
“This is an excellent opportunity for our students to see their work in a new context outside the Beaver community,” said Sejal Patel, visual arts teacher. “Making art is only one part of being an artist – putting it out in the world allows for a broader understanding, acceptance, and at times rejection, all of which is an opportunity to understand visual images and their ability to generate reactions, opinions, and ideas.”
The exhibit, which includes work from high school students in the area, is open until May 21. Click here to see all the accepted entries and read more below from the featured Beaver students.
Nature Portal: Kenzie Morris ’19
My photograph is called Nature Portal. For this piece, I had my subject – my mom – hold a mirror to capture what was directly in front of her. This photo was taken in Miami, so it reflected the landscape of Miami. When I was creating this series of photographs, it made me think about the idea that people are a product of their environment; they reflect what is in front of them or around them. Isn’t it ironic that nature can also be an illusion in a portrait like this one? It exaggerates how important nature is to us, even in the most unnatural ways.
Spectre: Sam Waldman ’18
My piece is a digital image of myself photoshopped on the Spectre movie poster. Photoshopping my face onto this poster represents that I can be a star just like Daniel Craig. I created many images of movie posters and popular television shows where I super-imposed myself as the main actor. This poster is my favorite because it represents the seriousness of the photoshop technique and depth of imagination of myself in a different reality where I am the star.
Hair Series: Meggee Joseph ’19
Throughout history people of color’s hair has always been viewed as “not pretty” or “wild.” Women, in particular felt as though they were not beautiful unless their hair was completely straight. Today, women wear their hair by choice, embracing their natural hair. For my series, I photographed my friends with their backs turned, focusing on the texture and individual qualities of their hair. Meggee received an honorable mention at the reception.
The Page Waterman Gallery is located at 26 Church St in Wellesley.