In the last week of March, Fine Arts Week comes with talent and creativity. Color and vibrance flow throughout the campus, celebrating artistic ability and self-expression. The theme of Fine Arts Week this year is Ways of Being, which aims to appeal to reconsidering "anthropocentrism" and calls on us to move beyond self-centered thinking, and reshape the way we relate to the world.

From Seminars to Auction

The Gallery of Babel, which is a club about humanities, social science, and arts, is the main undertaker of Fine Arts Week. Cooperating with the philosophy club, the two clubs hold seminars starting with animism to further explore the internal relationship between human beings and other creatures in the cosmos in order to, gain a more comprehensive insight into Ways of Being. Babel also hosts workshops surrounding story, music, and drawing. For the story week, considering the ability to tell our own stories and experience afterward is interesting, Babel encourages students to write down their stories in the form of envelope, and sets a delicate glass tank for the story contributions. For the music block, Babel takes the form of collages to show the musical elements, aiming to explore different popular elements and philosophies generated in different times and cultures.

Collage. Cre: Rita Ding

For the drawing block, Babel set the shared artboard, which allowed everyone to draw whatever they liked, to promote self-expression. Babel also encourages students to show their understanding of the theme through their favored art forms, and to exhibit these excellent works, the gallery was held. The concluding event of Fine Arts Week, the auction, presented opportunities for acts of kindness. Since it was a charitable auction, ten percent of the auction proceeds were returned to the artist as encouragement, and the rest were donated to the welfare institute. Babel has presented a series of wonderful activities, which add a touch of brilliance to the artistic community.

Shared Artboard. Cre.:Rita Ding

HFI’s Got Talent

Shows are one of the most important elements of Fine Arts Week. The live show and final showcase are all shows attached to HFI’s Got Talent, which is the show series held by Clap, a club that organizes recreational events. The live show attracts ample talented students to show their strengths and confidence, and magnificently play the finale to the Fine Arts Week. The live show brings performers closer together, enhances the appeal of the performance, and spreads an artistic vibe to the community. The final showcase is held in the auditorium, drawing down the curtain of Fine Arts Week with glitz and brilliance. The lights dim, and the auditorium is packed with excitement and anticipation. Performers are dressed in wonderful costumes and are ready to showcase their talents. Singers’ voices soar, filling the auditorium with elegant melodies, while Dancers show the charm of the body with eye-catching movements. Drama actors bring the stories to life through vivid performances. The orchestra is dedicated to striking out graceful melodies, bringing the audience into the flow. Notably, the music drama Women’s March conveys the idea of she-power through powerful lyrics and magnificent momentum. According to one of the participants of the Women’s March, Emily Wen, she thinks the Women's March will be a good piece for a musical. It's about the suffragette movement led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Sylvia Pankhurst in 1910 (although they later split because of their political views), and in the stage background and lighting design, they try to restore the original as much as possible. The shows engage students to feel art and do art, which is precisely the purpose of Fine Arts Week.

Women’s March. Cre: Hanny Lin

Summary

Fine Arts Week was not only entertaining but also thought-provoking. It brings the whole school together to celebrate creativity, self-expression, and the power of art. From the seminars to the shows, the week is filled with activities encouraging students to think outside the box, and explore Ways of Being and their artistic abilities. Clubs cooperate by showcasing their different expertise to achieve a common goal, that is, embodying the charm of arts. Thanks to all, Fine Arts Week is a great success, and it leaves a lasting impact, promoting artistic development and igniting innovation. It is a reminder of the power of art to bring people together, inspire change, and transform the world.

Writer: Minerva Huang

Editor: Florence Yin, Bonnie Liu

Photo by: Rita Ding, Hanny Lin