- Arts
Hangzhou International School Grade 10 and 11 Visual Art students recently took part in a full-day art field trip in Shanghai, led by Visual Arts teachers Janet McGifford and Josh Davis.
In the morning, students visited the 15th Shanghai Biennale, 'Does the Flower Hear the Bee?' at the Power Station of Art, where they experienced immersive contemporary installations and new media works.
In the afternoon, they attended 'Reinventing Landscape: Highlights of the Centre Pompidou Collection, Vol. IV', which presented artworks by 20th-century artists beginning in 1905, extending into contemporary practice.
Together, the two exhibitions allowed students to experience art across different time periods and approaches, helping them better understand how artists respond to the world through materials, space, and ideas.
IBDP Visual Arts teacher Janet McGifford introduces students to the 15th Shanghai Biennale exhibition
Upon entering the Shanghai Biennale, students were immediately met by a large installation of yellow trees suspended from the ceiling. Tam H (G10) shared that the installation made the space feel calm and welcoming, as if he had stepped inside the artwork rather than into a museum.
Allora & Calzadilla, Penumbra and Phantom Forest. Installation view, 15th Shanghai Biennale 2025
Upstairs, students entered a large gallery space featuring immersive 3-D installations and large-scale digital collage works mounted directly onto the walls by artist Haegue Y. Nicole W (G10) shared, “Seeing how strong the artist used colors and patterns really inspired me to develop my own collage ideas.”
Haegue Yang, Burgeoning Polyscopic Vista, 2023, Digital color print on self-adhesive vinyl film
One installation that impressed several students was a multimedia work by Shao Chun, which combined suspended materials with projection and sound to create an immersive environment. Adrian R (G11) noted that the use of wires, fabric, projection, and sound showed how people are connected through technology in a way that felt complex and real. Maggie H (G10) responded to the sensory experience, explaining that the combination of light, sound, and reflective surfaces made the artwork feel alive rather than something you simply look at.
Installation by Shao Chun
Students were also drawn to fiber-based installations elsewhere in the exhibition. Prisha J (G11) said, “Seeing how fiber and ropes were used in Julie Quottrup Silbermann’s work really inspired me, especially since we’re working on our own fiber project right now.”
Fiber installation by Julie Quottrup Silbermann
In the afternoon, students shifted focus to landscape at the Centre Pompidou exhibition, which explored how artists from 1905 to the present have interpreted natural and urban environments through color, light, and composition.
Exhibition materials of the West Bund Art Museum
YuChen W (G10) shared that Garden by Otto Schauer stood out to her because of its strong use of yellow, explaining that the color made the painting feel warm and full of life and encouraged her to think differently about how she uses color in her own artwork.
Otto Schauer, The Garden, Oil on Canvas, 1980
Reflecting on the visit, Janet McGifford emphasized the importance of museum experiences for students, particularly those studying IBDP Visual Arts:
“Seeing artworks in person helps students understand scale, materials, and intention in a way that images simply can’t”
These gallery visits support students’ research, visual analysis, and idea development for their IBDP Visual Arts coursework. They also encourage curiosity, experimentation, and confidence in students’ own creative decision-making as they continue their artistic journeys.
Whenever possible, seeing artworks in person offers an experience that images and screens simply can’t replace—an experience well worth seeking out.