Y11 - BUENOS AIRES CULTURAL

A group of 29 students from Y11 and Y12, together with three teachers (Ms Mariana Valdés, Mr Enrique Cederbaum and Mr Daniel Benzano), embarked on a tightly scheduled journey to visit the rich artistic cultural offerings of Buenos Aires. Throughout the trip, they had the privilege of visiting various museums, cultural spaces, as well as two awesome plays at night.

One of the highlights of the visit was the time at the MAMBA (Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires). What made this experience truly exceptional was the opportunity, (thanks to a mother from our community) for our students to engage with the Argentinian curator Javier Villa, who shared his creative process and investigation journey for an important exhibition starting a week from now. The curator was astounded by the insightful contributions made by our students, during a previous exhibition guided by an expert museum educator, through which he was listening attentively and noting the layers of meaning they discovered and the thought-provoking interpretations they offered. It was a testament to their reflective skills, empathy, and ability to bring their background knowledge to bear in their observations. Their capacity for deep thought was evident as they generated inferences and creative associations.

Throughout the trip, our students consistently demonstrated to be true inquirers. Despite the demanding schedule, they embraced each activity with enthusiasm and made the most of every opportunity until the very last moment. Their engagement and active participation further reinforced their exceptional qualities as learners.

We firmly believe that experiences such as this cultural visit are vital for the holistic development of our students, not limited to those studying art. The acquisition of visual literacy skills, the ability to decode images, and question their meaning has become essential in the 21st century. In a world constantly bombarded with images, it is crucial for our students to possess the skills necessary to critically analyse and interpret them.