Visual Art

Past and Present – Jacky Song
My hometown Shenzhen has experienced a huge change in the past decade. In 1970s, it was only a small fishing village without any signs of industry. Now 50 years have passed, and it has grown into an international metropolis with high-technology industries. Born in Shenzhen, I enjoyed its prosperity as I grew up. However, I missed its past, and the most fascinating history of Shenzhen. In these pieces, I began my journey to experience his past, to witness his metamorphosis again.  

My AP concentration focuses on my struggles and feelings living with Type One Diabetes. I wanted to explore my disease while providing people with visual representations of life with diabetes. I set out to create works that non-diabetics can use to understand different aspects of the disease without experiencing it firsthand. Overall, my pieces represent what it feels like to have Type One Diabetes.

My AP concentration is an exploration of my family in Ecuador on my father’s side inspired by the works of famous Ecuadorian Artist, Oswaldo Guayasamin. Most of my pieces are oil paintings, but some are ink drawings.
 

My concentration is insects. Throughout my life, there is one thing that attracts me the most besides art, and that is insects. Insects are so tiny and prevalent that most people won’t notice or care to look at them. But from my experience at a young age, insects are the most fascinating creatures. They not only have captivating colors, but they also exhibit interesting behaviors. I want to illustrate an enjoyable little story about them to encourage more people to appreciate their beauty.

In Islamic culture, patterned scarves, handmade plates, teapots, and prayer beads hold high significance in prayer & in all aspects of life. I wanted to display these iconic pieces and reflect the beauty and intricacy of religious icons in the Middle East. 

Jackson has been writing poetry every morning for the last couple of months expressing the joys, frustrations, and opinions that fill his mind on any given morning. His “daily raps” are sent out to and cherished by a group of his closest friends.