Te Awamutu College senior artists surround Jessica Cullen's 'The 21st Century tree of life'. Photos / Jesse Wood
Over the nationwide level 4 lockdown, Te Awamutu College's Year 12 and 13 art classes were given the task of creating content based on what's going on in the world at the moment.
While the majority focused on Covid-19, some focused on other pertinent events and ideas from the world at present.
These creations were a few of the creations on display at Te Awamutu College last week.
The 21st Century tree of life
By Jessica Cullen
"Aspects of life and inspired by today's societal functions and problems.
"The tree of life is a symbol spread broadly across many parts of life, community, and culture.
"My sculpture is heavily inspired by the research I did on the traditional representations of the tree of life (connection to everything, growth and strength, immortality and rebirth as well as peace).
"Then further inspired by sculpturists Christine Pedersen, Cory Barkmann and Jeff De Boer, in which they were commissioned a tree of life Return.
"They represented the beauty of recycling through their sculpture.
"This tree of life that I have created is of recycled product and is a reflective cycle on how we need to as a society learn from our pandemic experiences to reconnect, relearn, repurpose, reimagine, redevelop and regrow."
Needle and Thread
By Tegan Shearer
"I chose two shirts sewn together because it represents two people social distancing. Each shirt is a person; there is no way to assume age, gender, race or any identifying feature.
"The shirts are only connected by thread which is used to stitch a poem by Rachel Hendrich, which reads 'An introverts dream, perhaps, uncertain it is, fear, loss, no dream here.' The poem is about social distancing.
"The thread would be black against the white shirts to show how some people are going back to basics with things, like how they get the entertainment. Some people are putting down the technology and picking up a book, pack of cards, board game, etc.
"Even though we are physically social distancing, people are connecting in many different ways, using social media, apps like Zoom and House Party.
"That is why there is still a thread connecting the shirts, to show the connected aspect of social distancing - because the shirts are still physically social distancing but not touching each other."
Goodbye Granddad
By Kiani Ballard
"The dandelion is a symbol of emotional healing since they can endure almost any living condition, this represents overcoming every hardship by standing strong and proud.
"This takes me back to my granddad's funeral where the only real goodbye I could've said is dropping a flower on his casket."
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