Capturing the Colours of China

Breathtaking mountains, cobbled streets rich in history, matriarchal tribes and delicious Chinese-Muslim food – these were some of the surprises that greeted students from the South 7 Cluster when they visited Kunming, Lijiang and Dali in China’s Yunnan province for a visual art field trip in March 2007.

28 pupils and 12 teachers from Bishan Park Secondary School, Beatty Secondary School, Catholic High (Primary) School, Jing Shan Primary School and Townsville Primary School took part in the five-day “Colours of China” trip. But this was not simply a sightseeing outing. At locations such as the Yu Feng Temple and the picturesque Old Town of Lijiang, students put art theory into practice by sketching the majesty and memories of the natural and architectural landscape around them.

Integrated learning with the visual arts

Conceived in mid-2006, the Colours of China trip was part of the Cluster’s efforts to promote vibrancy in the visual arts. Art Coordinator for Aesthetics Ms Jessica Lai and Subject Head of Aesthetics Mrs Kong-Lian Chuen Pei of Bishan Park Secondary School were instrumental in planning and leading the trip. The objectives: to cultivate an appreciation of new cultures and environments, offer field experience in research and observation, and provide a platform for integrated learning.

“We felt that immersing the students in an environment outside of Singapore would be highly beneficial,” they explained. “Our staff and students would be able to attain a better global outlook, be culturally versatile and find a new individuality and perspective to their art.”

Surprises and self-discovery

For many students, the trip was a journey of self-discovery. “I discovered that I had a talent for drawing trees!” recalls Thanusha Raj Kumar of Beatty Secondary School. Her schoolmate Sandy Han Mun Ting learnt to improvise to sketch many new buildings in a limited time. “I learnt to be more independent and value friendship,” she says. “I grew a lot closer to my classmates and also made new friends from Bishan Park Secondary School.”

The unexpected cold of the inland cities and the warmth of the locals were other memorable discoveries. “Although Lijiang is cold, I still loved it,” recounts June of Bishan Park Secondary School. She could not get used to the food there though, which she found too salty. But her schoolmates Ariff and Hamirul were delighted to find a good variety of halal food in the province, “The mountains were so lovely to draw and we found the food delicious!”

Mrs Kong-Lian recalls that while the people in Dali initially seemed unfriendly, this soon proved otherwise. She remembers a friendly shopkeeper who invited the group to sit at his store and a family who showed them a hidden cave on an island in Erhai Lake. “It showed us the importance of not taking things at face value and to seek understanding through involvement,” she said.

Mrs Choi Mok Sang, Vice Principal of Bishan Park Secondary School, was also on the trip. “Never give up, reach and excel,” were the lessons she took home as she led the students and tried her hand at sketching as well.

Sharing art with the community

The rich visual impressions gained by the group were displayed at a special art exhibition in Bishan Community Library from 8 to 13 June, which drew over 16,000 viewers. “The parents who came were all very impressed with their children’s art,” noted Ms Lai. “One parent was very pleased and came up to thank me for giving her son the opportunity to grow.”

Bishan Park Secondary School is also home to the S7 Cluster Centre of Excellence for Visual Arts, which runs a special Mass Art Exposure programme for S1-S3 students. Explaining the value of visual art in the curriculum, Ms Lai said, “For pupils who are less academically inclined, art is a form of self-expression – a tool to communicate without words. Creating something beautiful gives these pupils a sense of confidence and self-worth.”

“For pupils who are better academically, art is a powerful learning tool as it makes use of the right brain,” added Mrs Kong-Lian. “Art as a subject helps students to understand the abstract, and to make connections among seemingly unrelated concepts.” In and out of the classroom, art certainly has its role in enhancing a student’s academic and personal development.

Read Ms Jessica Lai’s first-hand account of the Colours of China trip at the Bishan Park Secondary School Cluster Art Centre blog (with a photo-essay).