Introduction:
Ever wondered what it takes to score top marks in IB Visual Art HL? Lol me too. This article is my attempt to sympathise with IB Art HL students. I love the arts and greatly admire those who do as well and go even further to pursue it as an HL subject. Whether or not they want to pursue a career in the creative field or design I find them to be the most courageous individuals. They fight off remarks that they are not doing a “real” subject every day and behead haters who discourage them and others from picking the subject. I heard that those who forge along this path ride fast on the back of risk and uncertain grades. But why is this the case? Why are there so many naysayers and what is meant by “risk” and “uncertain grades"? Is it a failure of comprehension of its grading system? Or a result of unavoidable trauma?
In MYP I dared to mention art as one of the subjects I was thinking of tackling in DP and was told promptly to flee from that temptation. I had never gotten a 7 during my time in MYP and so in the final semester I made it my mission to capture this elusive grade and so after hours of diligence and commitment and emotion and turmoil and toil I ended up with a 2. Now I was endowed with the reason and the thought process of those who had swiftly instructed me to change my thinking about DP. This experience left me scared and discouraged, not only to do the subject in DP but to even pick up my beloved sable (not those synthetic bristles) paintbrush. Despite this setback, my passion for art never truly faded. It was always there, lurking in the background, waiting for the right moment to resurface and reignite my creative spirit.
Modern Art
When we encounter modern art and artists we are forced to contemplate the ever-present question of “What makes ‘good art’?” Why do blank canvases sell for millions of pounds, or bananas taped to walls find a home at Art Basel, and MoMA’s across the world. If one can find a successful career as an artist or creative by spray painting caricatures on canvases or painting solid colour pieces of just bold red. What makes one an artist?
- Robert Ryman - “Bridge”
