This year’s ART 600 exhibition was centered on the theme of Sonder, the profound realization that every individual lives a life as complex and rich as one’s own. The exhibition showcased an array of student artworks that deeply reflect personal histories, emotions, and community connections. Through immersive installations, multimedia experiments, and traditional techniques, the students’ pieces captured the diversity of the human experience. Inviting viewers to explore the layered stories behind each creation, artists encouraged the Andover community to pause, reflect, and embrace the intricate narratives that surround us all.
Elise Zhang ’26
“[My piece] was called ‘Where Confidence Grows,’ where I folded 600 origami flowers. There were eight different colors that coordinated to a different type of confidence, and three different species or types of flowers that correlated to a note that was written inside of each of them. This piece was a statement on my struggle and non-linear path of confidence, and this was my first time creating an interactive installation where people can physically take these origami flowers.”
Francesca Dizon ’26
“I worked on ‘Memoirs of My Father,’ a graphite drawing series that I edited with multimedia. I did digital editing with Photoshop to add the color blue, and then I also did embroidery on some of them. It’s a series to represent how I approach remembrance of lost loved ones, and also the experience of illness in families. It captures a lot of moments and memories that I have throughout that process and how I use art to represent the way that I grieve in a positive and reminiscent way,” said Dizon.
Ivy Randall ’25
“My main [piece] was called ‘Standardized Self,’ and it was a self-portrait composed of 80 SAT test answer bubble sheets. And I filled in the bubbles of each of the 80 papers to comprise this large-scale self-portrait, just to represent how I feel like growing up, my identity’s been defined and measured by how I do academically,” said Randall.
Marcela Hernandez ’25
“My favorite piece would definitely be the one dedicated to my grandmother, the card painting. Over the years, every time I’m with her, we make sure to play cards together. When she came to the exhibition, she didn’t know that I’d made an entire piece for her, and she was so emotional and surprised. It was a memory I really cherish, and that reaction from her was something I’ll never forget. My grandmother has always been a huge part of my life. Every time we spend time together, we play cards, and it’s a special moment I look forward to. I chose blue as the main color because it’s her favorite color, and it’s also one that I’ve come to love because of her. The artwork represents both the consistency of our tradition and the uniqueness of each time we’re together,” said Hernandez.
Claris Shin ’25
“It was a challenge, especially since it was my first time using Korean paint on rice paper. The process was difficult, controlling the amount of water and ensuring the paint didn’t dry too fast was tricky. The idea behind the piece was to explore the essence of my Korean name, Yoojung Shin, and to reflect the idea of ‘Sonder.’ The realization that every individual’s life is just as intricate as our own was a key theme. The final piece turned out better than I expected, and I was really proud of it. I also had a lot of support from Ms. [Juno Pinkowski], who helped me fix the wrinkles in the rice paper at the last minute. It was a risk, but it worked out, and I’m really happy with the result,” said Shin.
