IB VISUAL ARTS 2025

HAZEL

Curatorial Rationale

This exhibition investigates the various dimensions of misery: from internal struggles to external forces of social judgement, cultural expectations and environmental dilemma. Through my exhibition, misery is not portrayed as a static or single condition but as an experience that evolves as time changes; evoking varied human responses, self-sacrifice and endurance to resilience. My intention is to explore how suffering shapes human identity and invite the audience to reflect on their own experience with adversity, hence providing solutions.

The central artwork of the exhibition focuses on contemporary psychological struggle, represented by Escaping and Loneliness. By placing these works at the centre, I highlight the importance of modern mental health issues and the sense of alienation created by society. On the left side are the artworks inspired by western mythology: Medusa and Cycle narrate the theme of injustice and fate. On the right side, Salvation explores Eastern cultural perspectives on responsibility and endurance, while Nezha indicates how people respond to misery in different stages of life. The exhibition concludes with Eternal Bloom, where the lotus becomes a metaphor for resilience and moral purity.

The layout of the exhibition creates a journey, from mythical examples of suffering to contemporary struggles, combining different cultural interpretations, offering an intuitive perception for the audience to understand the form of suffering. This sequencing reflects my intention to show the different sides of misery for viewers, from universal myths to personal realities and ending with hope.

Cohesion is achieved through two strategies. The repeated use of red acts as a symbolic clue across artworks, demonstrating diverse misery through a common emotion. In addition, using different media, crystal beads, thread, ceramic fragments, and fabric, the artworks break the fourth wall, projecting into the viewer’s world. This material strategy mirrors how misery reflects into life, also creating a stronger visual experience.

With the combination of myth, psychology, and culture, this exhibition is dedicated to evoking empathy and discussing the ways humans confront and resist misery. The works encourage audiences to reconsider their own comprehension of misery and resilience, recognising them not as isolated experiences but as shared and universal emotions.