ARTBEAT Issue 02 January 2017

ARTBEAT 

MAGAZINE 

Issue 02 - Spring 2017 

Haiku and You 

Take an image journey 

The ‘Post Truth Era’ 

What does that mean? And where have we come across this before? 

Facets of Life in Liwan 

Using the local community as a resource 

Brought to you by 

the Faculty of Arts 

Page 10 

Less is more, when 

you are an abstract 

expressionist. 

Page 16 

Shakespeare and 

all that! 

Page 25 

The best things 

come in threes!

ARTBEAT MAGAZINE 2 

ARTBEATNICKS 

Edited by 

Jamie Lowe and John Knauss 

the Faculty of Arts Team 

Feature Contributors 

Jamie Lowe 

John Knauss 

Photography 

Jamie Lowe 

Contributions by: 

AIC English Department: 

! 

Silvia Ndhlovu 

Stuart Brown 

Bob Darwish 

John Knauss 

! 

! 

Grade 10 students 

Artbeat IT Expert 

! 

Brandon Chansavang 

Cover photo: 

Jamie Lowe 

ARTBEATNOTES 

! 

Artbeat is an online digest 

showcasing the life and work 

of the IB Visual Arts and the 

IB Theatre Arts departments 

at: 

Alcanta International College 

Guangzhou, China. 

Follow Our Beat at: 

www.aicib.org 

aicibvsualarts.tumblr.com 

www.facebook.com/ 

AlcantaInternationalCollege 

! 

This Issue’s 

Feature Articles 

Word Art..……..…………………………..…………………….4 

Three line poems - how hard can it be? 

Magnificence in Minutiae….…………………………….…..10 

How Art emerges from chaos witnessed in small events. 

What Does ‘Post Truth’ Mean Exactly?………………..17 

We ask the question and seek the truth. 

The Truth About Shakespeare…………..……………..….16 

John Knauss reveals what you didn’t know about the famous Bard. 

What About Art and Truth?…………………………………18 

Discover what various artists have said on this matter. 

Time Out in Liwan…..………………………….…………..….19 

Grade 10 get streetwise in Liwan District. A day trip to old Canton. 

Three of the Best………..……..………………………………25 

Jamie Lowe introduces three of the world’s most famous triptychs.


CONNECTING YOU 

TO ALL THE ARTS 

Welcome to this, 

the second issue of 


ARTBEAT is out and about in Guangzhou 

At the beginning of a new year it is 

always a time for reflection and a time 

to re-examine what is important to us. 

A time to review our principles to 

revise and make changes to our lives. 

We all live in what have become 

changing and unsettling times. A 

period which has been described, 

during the past year, as a “post-truth 

era”. In this issue, we look at what that 

means while musing on what Pablo 

Picasso meant when he said that 

“Art is a lie which makes us realise the 

truth”. 

At Artbeat we plan on continuing to 

keep it real by bringing you a report 

on how our Grade 10 hit the streets to 

record, observe and analyse the 

hidden corners of Guangzhou’s Liwan 

District. All this as well as inviting the 

English department to share the 

subtle art of Haiku with you, gentle 

readers. Enjoy and Happy New Year! 

Brandon and John meet with a 

canine -powered advertising 

campaign in Liwan 

Welcome back to ARTBEAT! We wish you all the best of years - one that’s positive, creative and productive! 

1 DIVERSE 

2 ONLINE 

3 ENTERTAINING 

In this issue we are exposed to a 

subtle type of Japanese poetry 

which uses the power of less to say 

more. Why not try this? We look at 

how beauty can be discovered 

within the tiniest of chaotic events. 

And we go “old-skool” in 

Guangzhou! 

Don’t forget that our magazine is an 

online one and that you can use it as 

a platform to expand your reading, 

link to tutorials, articles and related 

websites of interest. Remember to 

click on the links throughout. (Look 

for bold or italic text in the PDF 

version) 

Once again we bring you our Apps 

update “Approval” from IT expert 

Brandon. We get some more classy 

cartoons from John and other visual 

fun stuff in those “Fun Section” 

pages along with our regular 

features which you can look forward 

to.

ARTBEAT MAGAZINE 

4 

Word Art 

We decided to look at the relationship between 

ideas, words and images and we called upon the 

AIC English Department for assistance. 

! 

They introduce us to the gentle power of Haiku 

Silvia and Stuart discover 

happiness through Haiku 

!What exactly is Haiku? 

!Haiku ( 俳句 high-koo) are short three-line poems 

with a 5-7-5 syllable structure that use sensory 

language to capture a feeling or image. They are 

often inspired by an element of nature, a moment 

of beauty, or another poignant experience. 

It is very different from the concept of “Poetry” we 

have in the West. 

There is no unnecessary decoration, no special 

vocabulary, no forced juxtaposition, no poetic 

circumlocution, no heavy-handed philosophical 

implications. 

Just three simple lines, telling us what happened 

right there, right now. In a tiny moment. 

Where does Haiku originate from? 

Haiku poetry was originally developed by Japanese 

poets, and the form was adopted (and adapted) by 

virtually every modern language, including 

English. The secret to writing great Haiku is to be 

observant and appreciate nature. 

! 

"Haiku is the expression of a visionary moment in 

which the poet sees, in a flash of heightened 

awareness, a fundamental truth about the nature of 

things-in-themselves. 

The haiku poet attempts to bring the reader to the 

same realization, not by telling her about it, but by 

objectively presenting the few essential objects or 

experiences which made this moment, and so 

bringing the reader to recreate the process in her 

own mind. 

By withholding all judgment or comment on the 

material presented, the poet invites the reader to 

enter into the poem, experience it, and come to her 

own conclusion. 

And so what is left unsaid becomes more important 

than what is said : the Haiku poet provides only the 

barest brushstrokes necessary to arouse the reader's 

imagination to complete the whole picture." 

! 

Excerpted from: Haiku in English 

Barbara Unger Stanford University Press 1978 

Its a number’s game 

Think: 3 -lines 

Think: 5-7-5 syllables


5 

Haiku? - No can do? 

! 

Let us try to help with that 

! 

Guidelines here show you 

1 Distill a poignant experience. Haiku traditionally focuses on details of one's environment that relate to the 

human condition. Think of a haiku as a meditation of sorts that conveys an objective image or feeling without 

employing subjective judgment and analysis. When you see or notice something that makes you want to say to others, 

"Look at that," the experience may well be suitable for a haiku. 

Japanese poets traditionally used Haiku to capture and distill a fleeting natural image, such as a frog jumping into a 

pond, rain falling onto leaves, or a flower bending in the wind. Many people go for walks just to find new inspiration 

for their poetry, known in Japan as ginkgo walks. 

Contemporary haiku may stray from nature as a subject. Urban environments, emotions, relationships and even 

humorous topics may be haiku subjects. 

2 Include a seasonal reference. A reference to the season or changing of the seasons, referred to in Japanese as 

kigo, is an essential element of Haiku. The reference may be obvious, as in using a word like "spring" or "autumn" to 

indicate the season, or it might be subtler. For example, mentioning wisteria, which flower during the summer, can 

subtly indicate the season. Note the kigo in this poem by Fukuda Chiyo-ni: 

Morning glory! 

the well bucket-entangled, 

! 

! 

I ask for water 

3 Create a subject shift. In keeping with the idea that haiku should contain two juxtaposed ideas, shift the 

perspective on your chosen subject so that your poem has two parts. For example, you could focus on the detail of an 

ant crawling on a log, then juxtapose that image with an expansive view of the whole forest, or the season the ant is 

currently inhabiting. The juxtaposition gives the poem a deeper metaphorical meaning than it would have if it were a 

simple, single-planed description. Take this poem by Richard Wright: 

Whitecaps on the bay 

A broken signboard banging 

! 

In the April wind.


6 

Haiku? - Still want to? 

! 

Open up your mind and see 

! 

Pictures in your words 

4 Show, don't tell. Haiku are about moments of objective experience, not subjective interpretation or analysis of 

those events. 

Haiku have been called "unfinished" poetry because they require the readers to finish the poems in their own hearts. 

Because of this, it's important to show the readers something true about the moment's existence, rather than telling 

the readers what emotions it conjured in you. Let the readers feel their own emotions in reaction to the images — as 

poets, we understand the need to bare all, but the very universality of Haiku ensures that your readers will get the 

message, so don't fret, fellow poet. 

Use understated, subtle imagery. For instance, instead of saying it's summer, focus on the slant of the sun or the 

heavy air. 

Don't use clichés. Lines that readers recognise, such as "dark, stormy night," tend to lose their power over time. 

5 Be inspired. In the tradition of the great Haiku poets, go outside for inspiration. Take a walk and tune in to your 

surroundings. Which details in your environment speak to you? What makes them stand out? 

Carry a notebook to write down lines as they come to you. You never know when the sight of a stone in a stream, a rat 

skipping over subway tracks, or a cap of clouds over hills in the distance might inspire you to write a Haiku. 

Read other Haiku writers. The beauty and simplicity of the Haiku form has inspired thousands of writers in many 

different languages. Reading other Haiku can help spur your own imagination into motion. 

! 

! 

6 Practice. Like any other art, haiku takes practice. Bashō, who is considered to be the greatest Haiku poet of all 

time, said that each Haiku should be said a thousand times on the tongue. Draft and redraft every poem until the 

meaning is perfectly expressed. Remember that you don't have to adhere to the 5–7–5 syllable pattern, and that a 

true literary Haiku includes a kigo, a two-part juxtapositional structure, and primarily objective sensory imagery. 

While drafting, use adverbs sparingly if at all — many adverbs can be dropped without compromising meaning, and 

they take up syllables that could be used for description. Similar advice applies to long or flowery words — the point 

of Haiku is to reveal simple and universal truths, and your extensive vocabulary is better suited to a longer poetic 

form. 

!


Making small seem great 

! 

poetry seeks to elevate 

! 

the humblest idea 

Here are some early 

entries of Haiku poetry 

by our Grade 10 students 

! 

! 

I am coming home 

Father, Mother, see you soon 

I will clear the snow. 

!Coming! 

Home by Arsen 

She painted her nails, 

she used obsidian black, 

just like her black soul 

! 

Black Soul by Evleen 

Destroying your house 

today our enmity is 

already over 

!Revenge by Jenny 

Occurring rarely. 

and slightly unscientific 

but brings happiness 

! 

Miracles by Priscillo 

Now it’s your turn 

! 

!


8 

How can I tell if my Haiku Poetry is any good? 

! 

Use our guide below to assess your creative work and become a Distinguished Haiku Master 

!

! 

! 


The ARTBEAT 

9 

写俳俳画 

Get inspired 

to : 

write 

draw 

photograph 

! 

HAIKU CHALLENGE 

Choose either the: 

Shahai format 

PHOTO + HAIKU 

or Haiga format 

BRUSH DRAWING + HAIKU 

Email us your Shahai or Haiga work 

(as a jpeg file attachment no bigger than 2MB) 

with the subject heading: ARTBEAT Haiku 

to Silvia and Stuart at AIC 

sndhlovu@aicib.org sbrown@aicib.org 

Find inspiration through: 

nature, the seasons, 

current affairs, events or 

people and relationships 

If you need inspiration on how you 

might work with ink and a brush - 

look no further than the Chinese 

master Wu Guangzhong click here to 

see how it’s done. 

The best entries will be selected 

by Silvia and Stuart to be 

published in the next issue of 


Good luck!


Magnificence in 

Minutiae 

! Jamie discovers an artist and a photographer who celebrate the certainty of chance in small events 

ABSTRACTS by Emma Lindstrom


Emma Lindstrom’s work caught my attention simply because of the spontaneous nature of 

how she works; and since our DP1 students at AIC are busy trying to work in the manner of an 

Abstract Expressionist painter in their current IB Visual Arts Diploma project, it is refreshing 

to find a young contemporary woman working in this way to compare against the likes of the 

more traditional examples of splatter painters: Jackson Pollock, and Sam Francis. 

Link here for more Abstract Expressionist women. 

Emma Lindstrom’s spontaneity with acrylics and spray paints; reacting, spreading, and 

dispersing on the surface of the paintings: 

“provide us with a visual link between microcosm and macrocosm, her work ultimately has the ability to 

serve as a reminder that there is something connecting us all”. 

Clearly, she intends to link with our ideas of deep space and the universe seen from a telescope. 

There is also a sense of the Earth viewed from high above or a feeling that we are seeing the 

very building blocks of life at a microscopic or cellular level. 

Emma Lindstrom, from Gothenburg in Sweden, has taken the reactions between oil and water 

based materials (seen best in the example of marbling - an effect created by the floating and 

dispersal of oily droplets upon a water surface) to the next level in her paintings. She then 

works into that surface with a fine brush and is able to focus our attention to the different richly 

complex areas created by the earlier random events of pouring, spraying and spotting. 

! 

Try something like this at home with shaving cream and paint


INFUSIONS by Cliff Briggie 

Photographer Cliff Briggie, who prompted by the ideas of poet Rainer Maria Rilke, 

creates these amazing images of what seem like whole other universes within the fluid 

swirls of simple materials. 

Briggie’s technique focuses on photographing the movement in liquids. The consistency of 

the subject-matter also gives the appearance of dissipating smoke or a gentle satin fabric. 

Concentrating the colors in different areas creates a subtle transparency that plays with the 

light source. The mixing colors and swirling compositions make these pieces absolutely 

mesmerizing. 

!


Cliff Briggie, who is also a practicing clinical psychologist can be described as a 

Macrophotographer. I find his work interesting because he creates it from small temporary 

events. He uses those ordinary things which we often take for granted: the mixing of different 

liquids, the dissolving of a solid into a liquid, the dispersal of gas seen in the swirling of smoke 

or the freezing and melting of a material. 

In addition to the ‘Infusion’ series, Cliff Briggie has created a series of interesting “temporary 

ice paintings” that are comprised of ice, paint, and water brought to life by his camera’s flashes 

of light. he says of this work: 

“Combining the contents allows the image to, essentially, create itself.’ 

“A photograph FREEZES the moment. Ice, light, and water move, morph, flash, and change. Little 

pieces of paint take on a life of their own, suddenly exploding, colors streaming everywhere–CLICK– 

and then, they are gone forever. It is at once so breathtaking, heartbreaking, and compelling that I have 

missed more than a shot or two.” 

Once again, the effect created by Cliff Briggie’s work is to visually transport our minds in two 

simultaneous directions - toward endless expanses of celestial space and back through minute 

microscopic galaxies of organic matter. 

“The devil”, as they say in the English expression “(truly): -is in the detail”. As artists or 

photographers we could be more aware of the continuous, chaotic creation and destruction of 

these tiny events around us. We can aim to be that still point in a turning world once in a 

while. More on macrophotography here. 

! 

Try something like Briggie’s ‘Infusions’ at home with your camera


14 

What does “Post Truth” mean exactly? 

Are we really living in a Post Truth World? 

Last year the Oxford dictionary 

declared ‘post truth’ to be its 

international word of the year. 

Defined as an adjective “relating to 

or denoting circumstances in 

which objective facts are less 

influential in shaping public 

opinion than appeals to emotion 

and personal belief” the use of 

‘post truth’ was increased by 

around 2000% during 2016. 

Another definition can be found 

here. 

Underpinning ‘post truth’ is the 

concept of ‘truthiness’ – things 

that feel true even though they are 

not. Examples include the Brexit 

claim that Britain’s membership of 

the EU costs the United Kingdom 

£350 million per week (the actual 

figure is circa £160 million), and 

the assertion, by Donald Trump, 

that Barack Obama was not a 

native born American citizen 

(Obama was born in Honolulu, 

Hawaii on 4 August 1961). 

The brain can ‘think’ emotionally 

via the limbic system and rationally 

through the prefrontal cortex. In 

children where the prefrontal 

cortex is still developing, the limbic 

brain can be dominant with 

decisions being shaped by 

! 

emotions rather than reason and 

fact. It is for this reason that it can 

be difficult to ‘rationalise’ with an 

upset child. 

The EU referendum and American 

presidential election which ended 

with the election of Donald Trump 

caused a sharp rise in ‘post truth’ 

politics during 2016. The practice 

of making decisions based on 

emotions rather than facts became 

more and more common.. 

Whilst the term ‘post truth’ may 

have been coined by the late 

Serbian – American playwright 

Steve Tesich in 1992, human 

history is unfortunately littered 

with ‘post truths’. From 

seventeenth century witch hunts to 

twentieth century Nazi propaganda 

there is a depressing list of leaders 

putting truth to one side and using 

emotional appeals to manipulate 

public opinion for their own 

purposes. 

Emotional decision making is often 

flawed leading to bad politics and 

poor government. It is for this 

reason that schools must give 

children the intellectual toolkits 

needed to deconstruct arguments 

and look for evidence behind 

claims. 

The central question must always 

The brain can ‘think’ emotionally via the limbic system and 

rationally through the prefrontal cortex. In children 

where the prefrontal cortex is still developing, the limbic 

brain can be dominant with decisions being shaped by 

emotions rather than reason and fact. It is for this reason 

that it can be difficult to ‘rationalise’ with an upset child. 

be: “How do we know”? The 

International Baccalaureate has a 

paper on the theory of knowledge 

that addresses this very question, 

but concepts of truth, reason, 

argument, evidence and bias run 

through all subjects and exam 

systems. 

Such evaluation skills are more 

important than ever in a world 

where there has been an explosion 

in ‘facts’ and ‘knowledge’ generated 

by academic research and 

internet / social media sources.


15 

Post Truth “The central question 

must always be “How do we know?” 

Faced by so much information 

cortex to shape their thinking. 

Whilst ‘post truth’ politics may not 

be new, the 3.5 billion people who 

use the internet around the world 

may be exaggerating its effects. 

algorithms that lie behind internet 

search engines can create ‘filter 

bubbles’ in which users are fed 

stories similar to those they have 

previously liked. Thus in the 

Brexit campaign, ‘leavers’ tended to 

see more articles in favour of 

leaving, while those who wanted to 

‘remain’ saw more articles in favour 

of remaining. Existing viewpoints 

were reinforced, passions inflamed 

and opportunities for consensus 

reduced. Increasing polarity is a 

challenge for democratic 

governments which require 

different parties / interest groups to 

compromise and find a middle 

ground for action. In a perfect 

world search engines would deliver 

a balanced range of articles 

covering a spectrum of reasonable 

and well-reasoned views. 

Differences of opinion on what 

constitutes reasonable and wellreasoned 

views, concerns to protect 

the freedom of speech, and the money 

to be made from search engines all act 

to preserve the search engine status 

quo. As a result it is our responsibility 

as teachers and students to ensure 

that we 

expose 

ourselves to a range of reasoned and 

reasonable viewpoints and also acquire 

the intellectual tools needed to 

evaluate the arguments that underpin 

them. There is nothing new in this, as 

there is nothing new in ‘post truth’ 

politics, but in an increasingly 

uncertain world that faces some big 

challenges, good decision making skills 

at all stages in the political process 

from government ministers and party 

leaders to the general electorate are 

essential. 

by Chris Madden


16 

The Truth About Shakespeare? 

The 400-year anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death was celebrated this past year. 

Why celebrate a man’s death and not his birth? Well, Shakespeare’s birth is celebrated, too, (the 

last time being on the 450-year anniversary in 2014) so perhaps it’s just one more opportunity to 

commemorate the life and contributions of a man who many consider to be the greatest writer 

in the English language of all times. . . .And who doesn’t like a party? 

5 Things Worth Knowing About William Shakespeare 

1. Don’t Bother Reading Him 

by John Knauss 

Although Shakespeare is often studied as part of the English curriculum, it’s not the best place to get to know 

his work. Shakespeare was a playwright and an actor, and his plays are best to experience first in live 

performance, and not on a piece of paper or a screen. Why? Well, imagine your favorite TV show or film. Now 

imagine you were never allowed to watch that show or film, but instead were only allowed to read the script. 

Feel cheated? In the same way, Shakespeare’s plays come to life fully only through dramatic action onstage, as 

they were intended. 

2. His Plays Were Not Written Down in His Lifetime 

There were no printed scripts in the modern sense of the word for 

actors in Shakespeare’s time. Actors were most likely only given a 

handwritten copy of their own lines when learning a new play, and 

Shakespeare’s plays were only officially performed by his acting 

company during his lifetime. Once learned, the written lines were 

most often discarded, so that the play survived on primarily in the 

minds of the actors. If Shakespeare had original copies written in 

his own hand, they have not been discovered. After his death, two 

colleagues of Shakespeare named John Heminges and Henry 

Condell printed the first “authoritative” version of Shakespeare’s 

collected plays in 1623, although a number of unauthorized and 

corrupted versions had been circulating before this time.Most 

likely, the pair consulted with the actors who had played the parts 

about their lines and collected what handwritten scripts they could 

in order to compile and then print what is now considered to be 

the most reliable source for his plays.


17 

3. Shakespeare Was An Actor 

Based on theatre records from the time, we know that William Shakespeare was credited for performing in a 

number of his own plays as well as those of others. These roles include King Duncan (in Macbeth), Adam (in As 

You Like It), Henry IV, and Hamlet’s father/the Ghost (in Hamlet). 

4. Shakespeare Helped Create The Modern English Language 

Shakespeare did not write in Old or Middle English, but in modern English, and many of the words and 

phrases we use commonly today he invented through new combinations and uses! Here are some words he 

engineered: skim milk, luggage, eyeball, champion, bump, bedroom, moonbeam, outbreak, mountaineer, 

watchdog, and torture. And here are some phrases: All that glitters is not gold, break the ice, dead as a doornail, 

elbow room, for goodness’ sake, heart of gold, in a pickle, kill with kindness, love is blind, naked truth, sick at 

heart, and wear my heart upon my sleeve. 

5 Shakespeare May Not Have Been Shakespeare 

Nothing is more controversial about William Shakespeare than the question of whether or not he actually wrote 

the plays and poems attributed to him. Why is there any debate? As mentioned earlier, there is a dearth of 

original documents to substantiate much of Shakespeare’s life and his connection to the works attributed to 

him. There are only six confirmed instances of his handwriting, and these are simply signatures on legal 

documents. There are three pages of an unpublished play which may also have been written by the same hand, 

but this is all. Of the 154 sonnets (poems) and 37 plays attributed to him, not a single word of them written in 

his own hand have been discovered. Most likely the greatest leap of faith for critics lies in the fact that William 

Shakespeare was a barely-educated young man from a small town who moved to London in order to be an 

actor. Less than ten years after his move, he was being recognized as a great author, and the writer of what now 

are accepted as some of the greatest masterpieces not only of the English language, but of all human 

experience. Astonishing. 

7


18 

What About Art and Truth? 

“Art is a lie that 

makes us realise 

the truth.” 

Pablo Picasso 

“The truth of Art keeps Science 

from becoming inhuman, and the 

truth of Science keeps Art from 

becoming ridiculous.” 

Raymond Chandler 

“Art making is not 

about telling the 

truth but making 

the truth felt.” 

Christian Boltanski 

“We have Art in 

order not to die of 

the Truth.” 

! 

Friederich Nietzsche 

All the Art on this page is by Barbara Kruger. To see more of her work link here


19 

Time Out in 

Liwan 

Everyone loves to get out of the classroom; - students and teachers alike! For those of you reading who are not 

students, I bet that amongst all of your recollections of school life, that you still remember your school trips very 

! 

prominently? 

Our metropolis of Guangzhou was blessed with bright clear winter sunshine and unexpected warmth on that 

December morning at the end of last year, when the Art and Drama departments took all of our Grade 10 to 

explore some hidden gems of the city’s Liwan District. Guangzhou is sometimes criticised for it’s similarlooking 

streets, it’s corporate architecture, heavy traffic, overcrowding and apparent lack of heritage and culture. 

Grade 10 discovered quite the contrary in their exploration of Liwan’s Antiques and Jade Market, Hua Lin 

Buddhist Temple and the Chen Clan Academy House. Three small pockets of heritage and old Cantonese 

! 

culture tucked away between the skyscrapers of modernity. 

Liwan District has many unique specialised shopping streets (such as the ‘Jade Street’ we visisted). The district 

also has more than one hundred wholesale markets, engaged in selling everything from traditional Chinese 

medicine, aquatic products, shoes, stationery, metal ware, textiles electrical appliances and decorative materials. 

Much of the areas traditional Cantonese treasures, lie embedded within the canyon-like high rises; their small 

winding lanes and tree lined streets providing a dramatic change to the pulse of the rest of the city. Liwan 

District has also seen a centralisation of star-level restaurants in Guangzhou. Locals look forward to Liwan 

treats such as Shunji coconut ice cream, Wuzhanji Jidi congee, Tingzai congee, Ouchengji dumpling and Nanxin 

double-condensed milk. It’s a vibrant district which tends to be a favorite with tourists here.


20 

Street-wise in old Canton 

! 

Liwan District is full of specialist streets and markets 

not to mention delicious treats 

Liwan may not be the oldest district in Guangzhou, but it's the absolute best place to see what's 

left of old Canton. Originally an area where rich Guangzhou merchants set up their homes 

outside the old city walls, Liwan has managed to fend off Guangzhou's fast paced 

modernization and remain quintessentially Cantonese. 

! 

The purpose of this trip was threefold. Firstly, that students would be able to observe and record notes on the 

behavior of everyday people and situations, (in other words to witness Drama in real life) and study how it may 

be recreated later in performance. Secondly, to investigate and analyse the environments in which the students 

found themselves, so that they could design ideas for stage sets. And thirdly to observe and record particular 

elements of the trip, by first drawing, second photography and thirdly collecting, images of the various places 

visited. These elements were: ornamental and decorative, human activity and figurative elements and lastly 

! 

viewpoints and perspectives. Clearly, there was a theme of “threes” going on too. 

Following this excursion and back in the Art studios it was “Triptych -Time” for Jamie and his students. Before 

the Liwan trip, the students had been prepped regarding exactly a “triptych” was. (The simplest way to describe 

one is: A picture (such as a painting) that has three panels placed next to each other. Further explanations are 

that a triptych is an ancient Roman writing tablet with three waxed leaves hinged together, a picture (such as an 

altarpiece in a Christian Church) or carving in three panels side by side, or something composed or presented 

in three parts or sections. Here we are again on that theme of threes).


21 

Mindful of this format, the students got busy distilling their 

collections of drawings, photos, rubbings and collected 

collage material gathered on the day to design their triptych. 

This was going to be the main challenge for them - finding 

the most efficient way to visually tie together their 

observations of the places and the elements observed from 

each. To attempt to encapsulate in three panels an 

! 

experience which speaks of the different ages of Canton. 

By the time you read this, students will have completed their 

Triptychs of Liwan. One of the things that have made this a 

pleasurable project is the way in which they have been 

encouraged to work. By using a mixed media collage 

approach, its been possible to mix up traced images from 

photographs along with drawings, rubbings with pictures 

created using image transfer processes and layered shapes or 

stencil cuts created from multiple paper types, photocopies 

and raw drawing. Everyone has worked to a standard format, 

so that for display purposes the whole of Grade 10’s work 

! 

has a stronger visual impact when shown together. 

Meanwhile, activity in the Drama department after the 

excursion saw John reinforcing what the students 

understood by “Realism” in Drama. Realism in Drama 

focuses on everyday life and conflicts, rather than epic or 

fantastical situations and settings. Depending on the era, 

these events were relevant to society at large, but until the 

late 1860s, these depictions were not common on stage. After 

the 1860s, many plays incorporated different types of social 

and political content into their works. This was meant to 

bring the focus onto life and problems that were truly 

relevant to the audience, and to encourage change. Many 

believe that Realism was a combination of the arts and 

science, which meant the performance needed to be 

verifiable. However, as times changed, so did the overall 

design of Realism. 

! 

One main goal is for the performance to match the speech 

and behavior of the time. However, the speech patterns from 

the early 1900s are no longer the same as those of the 2000s, 

so what was “realistic” then is not exactly the same today.


22 

Our students investigated the present-day realism of their 

Liwan District characters so that they could bring a touch of 

Guangzhou-realism to their own performances, as well as 

speculating on differences that might have been part of life 

! 

for their counterparts several hundred years ago. 

In addition to character research, the students were able to 

to visualise and design stage scenery based on the two main 

forms at the time of Realism: the proscenium arch and the 

box set. Technology also plays a large role in modern theatre, 

and has changed over time. Most people who stage realistic 

plays for Broadway or London’s West End can include items 

like televisions, cell phones, computers and tablets, but 

students went the opposite direction by spending an hour in 

the world of the Chen Clan Academy to experience what it 

might have been like for people and characters who did not 

have such things in their everyday lives. The Hua Lin temple 

courtyard was also a perfect venue for conducting such an 

exercise as it lent a certain other worldliness to the day, given 

! 

its ancient architecture and its somewhat secretive setting. 

Both John and Jamie agree that it is important for students 

to be engaged in something interesting but that they also see 

relevance and challenge in activities such as this visit to 

Liwan District. One of the important lessons learned for all 

of us was that of making the most of the time spent in each 

location and being much more aware of what was going 

around us. We had to absorb a lot of visual information in a 

short time and then be able to filter it and use it in a 

purposeful way. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this 

trip was the number of Guangzhou locals within our group, 

who had either never heard of these places, or had heard of 

them but never visited them before! It just goes to show how 

we can sometimes miss what is right in front of us locally 

because our attention seems always focused by those things 

further afield. We look forward to sharing the completed 

Drama performances and triptych artwork with you in the 

! 

next issue of Artbeat magazine. 

In the meantime, we hope that when you visit Guangzhou 

city, that you will have an opportunity to enjoy some 

Cantonese heritage and visit the wonderful Liwan District 

! 

too.

ARTBEAT MAGAZINE 23


24 

Photographs by Jamie Lowe Photography


25 

Three of the Best 

Jamie picks three of the most famous 

triptychs in the world to have a look at 

! 

WHO DID IT ? “The Garden of Earthly Delights”, was by the early Dutch Master, Hieronymus Bosch 

WHEN WAS IT MADE ? It was painted between 1490 and 1510, when Bosch was between about 40 

and 60 years old. It is his best-known and most famous surviving work. It is oil paint on wood panels. 

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT ? It looks bonkers, agreed. The three scenes of this triptych are meant to be 

read like a comic book (chronologically) from left to right. The left panel shows God presenting Eve to 

Adam, (the first man and woman, according to the Bible). The centre panel is a fanciful scene of 

Paradise (Christian Heaven) with nude figures, fantastical animals, oversized fruit. The right panel is a 

“hellscape" and shows what happens if you are unfortunate and end up in Hell. The whole thing is 

kind of a warning to remind us to be good Christians. It is also a glimpse into a disturbed man’s mind. 

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT IT ? It is right out of the box by medieval standards and takes the 

prize for the most imaginative depiction of Heaven and Hell, ever. Remember that paintings like this 

were created for people who could not read and write. It helped them to access what was inside the 

pages of the Bible (as imagined and directed by the selected artist and his patron the Church of 

course). 

MORE BY THIS ARTIST PLEASE ! You will need to visit Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain to see 

this triptych. In the meantime find more Bosch here.


WHO DID IT ? British painter Francis Bacon painted this triptych called: “Three Studies for Figures 

at the Base of a Crucifixion”. Each frame of the triptych is quite big (116 x 96 cm) and they present 

quite an imposing image to the gallery visitor. 

WHEN WAS IT MADE ? Bacon painted these three canvases between 1940 and 1943, during the 

Second World War years. The triptych was first exhibited in 1945, which coincided with the release of 

the first photographs and film footage of the Nazi concentration camps. 

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT ? It looks miserably bleak . . .And it is. It shows a group of people (almost 

humanoid looking), who represent a group like those present at the base of Christ’s Cross when he 

was crucified. They are sharing Christ’s agony and are twisted and grotesque as if showing the very 

pain of crucifixion in their own bodies. Their partially obscured faces are grimacing in silent screams 

or hidden in shame. For some, Bacon’s triptych reflected the pessimistic world he was experiencing 

with the truth of the Holocaust emerging and the advent of nuclear weapons. 

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT IT ? Well, if for no other reason other than it is probably priceless. 

In 2013 another Francis Bacon triptych (painted in 1969) sold for: $142.4 million at auction. Francis 

Bacon ranks as one of the most important painters of the 20th Century. “Three Studies for Figures at 

the Base of a Crucifixion” is at once a shocking reminder of the evil that world unleashes upon itself 

and a cry for humanity and peace. 

MORE BY THIS ARTIST PLEASE ! You can visit this triptych at the Tate Gallery in London, 

England where it has been hanging since it was donated to the gallery in 1953. As for Francis Bacon 

the man - the artist, you may wish to visit the official website here. 

! 

(Interestingly, our very own Jasmine in DP2 has used Francis Bacon’s technique to create some stunning 

portraits of her own, which you will be able to view in this year’s IB Visual Arts Diploma Exhibition at AIC).


27 

WHO DID IT ? This triptych artwork is called: “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn”. It shows three 

photographs of the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei dropping a two thousand year old Han Dynasty ceramic 

pot and letting it fall to the ground where it smashes into pieces.(Actually, he dropped two to get the 

photograph correct. . .) 

WHEN WAS IT MADE ? In 1995, Ai Weiwei smashed this antique urn. Or did he? He became 

fascinated with the traditional heritage that been all but lost during the Cultural Revolution in China 

(1966-76). Ai Weiwei would visit antique markets, gathering items -something that he’d learned from 

Marcel Duchamp, (who he is often compared to), which could be presented as artworks in themselves, 

or “readymades” .Among these items were 2000 year-old urns from the Han Dynasty. Were they real? 

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT ? Perhaps this artwork is Ai Weiwei's most provocative work? It is meant to 

provoke us. It shows the artist letting go of an elegant object made with intelligence, imagination and 

love more than 2000 years ago and letting it smash to bits on the ground. (You can watch him drop it 

here). What is Ai Weiwei saying to us? An attack on the Chinese artist's installation during the 

exhibition of this and other work like it in Miami in 2014 was condemned as an act of vandalism. Why 

is smashing Art only acceptable if an acclaimed global artist does it? It could be seen as a devastating 

satire on the modern world's alienation from the past? Ever since the Chinese Revolution began in the 

early 20th century, political and economic ruptures have cut off China in particular from its ancient 

culture. Is Ai Weiwei parodying that? Or is he mocking western art-lovers who think all Chinese art is 

ancient? Maybe he is questioning what we all value in life? 

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT IT ? Quite simply, Ai Weiwei is the most important contemporary 

artist in China today. He relentlessly, fearlessly and cleverly uses his Art to get his message out. Ai 

Weiwei is an avid social media user – Twitter and Instagram, rather than China’s Sina Weibo from 

which he’s blocked – believing that these platforms offer a democracy and freedom that is new to his 

generation. 

MORE BY THIS ARTIST PLEASE ! Perhaps the most useful introduction to this fascinating 

contemporary artist is “Ai Wewei, A Beginner’s Guide”by Louise Cohen for The Royal Academy of 

Arts here.


28 

FUN SECTION Cartoon Pages 

“Oh, of course! We take great pride in the risk-taking qualities of our IB learners.”


29 

FUN SECTION Cartoon Pages


30 

FUN SECTION - APP-ROVAL by Brandon Chansavang 

Symmys Sketch is an iPhone application to bring out the 

polymorph doodler in you. When inspiration comes, you can 

doodle on Symmys; with only a few minutes, an aesthetically 

pleasing pattern can be created. The drawing process will 

generate corresponding music according to the position of 

your finger, which allows you to experience the beauty of 

rhythm of graphics and music. 

Great for all budding young VJ’s and those of you old 

enough to remember the amazing Spirograph toy! 

Voice Painting Too lazy to dig out that brush and ink? 

Thinking of entering a Haiga Haiku to the next ARTBEAT? 

Voice painting is an iPhone app which uses your voice to 

draw Chinese paintings on the magic paper! It comes with 

100 ready made images. The tutorial video demonstrates the 

infinite variations of painting strokes like dry, wet, thick and 

light. 

Happily this is an app available in Chinese and English. Now 

its your turn to tell your iPhone or iPad what to do more 

often, once it recognises your voice, of course. 

Voice Training is an Android app which plays a note or 

phrase of notes for you to sing . 

The app displays piano keys which highlight showing you 

which notes you should sing and which pitch you are 

correctly singing. It keeps track of your progress and you can 

gain stars for great singing. The app has been designed in 

collaboration with professional singing teacher and it 

simulates the experience of singing classes where teachers 

use a piano as a guide for pitch. 

Get yourself ready for that KTV!


31 

Our Grade 10 Group photographed here at 

the Chen Clan Academy House, Guangzhou 

Remember Our Flowery, Foul-Mouthed, 

Figurative Fiend on the Fourth Floor? 

What has that cursing bonehead had to say since the last issue? 

! 

If you touch my flowers you will wake up wearing your clothes back to front and cycling your 

“Mobike”sitting the wrong way around! 

Touch my flowers and I will make you sing at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony! 

Every time you touch my flowers,another seagull dumps on Arnold Schwarzenegger as he 

steps out of his car! 

If you touch my flowers I’ll turn you into a polar bear who lives in Chinese shopping mall! 

Touch my flowers and you and your friends will have to actually, really sit down, stay in one 

place and actually, really, seriously study for the whole two hours during Evening Study Time! 

(Phew!) 

Don’t forget to send in to us anything you hear that accursed artifact saying. 

And for goodness sake . . . .DON’T TOUCH IT’S FLOWERS!

ARTBEAT Issue 02 January 2017

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