You can ask any question in the world but the hardest to answer will be - “Who Am I?” Identity is always a very complicated matter to demonstrate or speak out about, especially so when its is done through Art. Especially when it inevitably requires one to tap into the inner workings of their mind. Our students at Secondary School unleashed their creativity and did an exceptional job at representing various concepts of ‘Identity’ through their Artwork.

One of the Artwork pieces was one that expressed Cultural Identity. Students had drawn on a canvas the various symbols of the Ghanaian tribes and an eye. An eye in many interpretations of Art represents awareness and knowledge. Each cultural symbol surrounding it has a meaning behind it. So, in a way, it could have been a representation of the awareness and the consciousness of cultural identity among them. This is so, although they are growing and developing other new identities through their interactions with the outside world, especially in a diverse international school, like ARIS

The other one was based on a contrast between labels that we acquire as our supposed identity, be it negative or positive, and our empowered and enlightened versions of identity. When growing up, and even for a grown up, society defines us through labels which can many times have negative connotations to it. Especially, at a teenage phase, when self-doubt and self-esteem are developing in people, labels like ‘Fake’, ‘Loser’, ‘Freak’, ‘Cry-baby’ or anything else can often pull them down. This is especially so when they start to define themselves with these attributes, out of self doubt and low self esteem.

This Artwork piece really represents an empowering message that you, as a human being, are not limited to the negative labels society gives you and you accept out of self doubt. Its a reassuring message, as the other half of the face is made of flowers and a fluid blue background, which shows serenity, immortality of a part of you that is strong no matter what, and calmness. This showed not just creativity, but also Risk-taking. The risk of really representing different facets of identity, even the vulnerable side of it, on artwork. It showed a self-awareness and reassuring message that we hope reaches out to everyone in this community.

The third and the final is one near and dear to the heart and values of ARIS as an IB School. Students went ahead and splattered colors that represented them beautifully, in line with the IB Learner Profiles. The colors ranged from green, yellow, red, blue, pink, purple, orange and even more. Any possible color which resonated to the students were splattered on a black background canvas. The use of tape to make it look graphic and keep gaps on the black canvas were filled with the various learner profiles that define each student who was involved in this piece - including, “Principled”, “Thinkers”, “Risk-taker”, “Communicator” and so on.

 What is more gracious than our students also discovering themselves and becoming empowered self aware versions of themselves?