Ensemble, the Annual Art Exhibition of Akshar Arbol International School is an initiative taken to showcase the students’ artistic skills, creativity, and understanding of their progressive learning in Art throughout the year. Every year the students from Grades 6-9 exhibit an array of artworks which reflects their learning in various topics such as still-life, landscapes, portrait study, study of master paintings, and expressions through art. Art enriches the students learning through the process of inquiry, exploration and creation by enhancing them in developing versatile skills and becoming more expressive. 

The journey of ‘Ensemble’ began in 2017 and the exhibition has ever since become synonymous with displaying artworks of skillful and talented students. Moving onto its 5th year ‘Ensemble 2020-21’ will be on the Virtual Platform in accordance with the New Normal. 

Like every other year ‘Ensemble 2020-21’ has worked towards setting its bar again. Every year the various artworks of the students exhibited a wide range of exploration of themes, mediums, and techniques. But, among the lot, the Art Installations have always been the most looked forward part of Ensemble. It has always been the show’s topper because of its grandeur visual expression of very sensitive topics in the most subtle and impactful way.

This year’s art installation ‘Connection’ by the students of Grade 8 signifies how life has been difficult during these pandemic times and the whole world is facing difficult situations. The random and patterned String Art Installation portrays no matter how twisted or entangled life gets, the one thing that keeps us all moving forward is that we all are still connected in some way or the other. In fact these hard times have brought us even closer than we have ever been. This connection amongst families, friends, human to human and humans to nature is universal and this has been visually expressed through the String Art Installation and the Pass the String Video. The art installation ‘CONNECTION’ thus proves that no tough situations can keep us apart and instead can only strengthen the bond we have with everyone and everything around us. 

 Alpana Ahuja is an artist based in Singapore. 

Alpana started her career in India as a freelancer dabbling in multiple mediums. Since her move to Singapore in the year 2000, she has stuck to the fine arts and is an illustrator of 18 children’s books, a nature and wildlife art teacher and activist, as well as a life member of Singapore Art Society and Group 90.

Alpana’s expression is through watercolors, acrylics and oils. Canvases, wall murals, fabrics, and soft furnishings  are her playground. She believes that working in a single medium is restrictive to her artistic process. Each cause manifests in its own individual style.  

Alpana is an artist who involves animals, mostly elephants, in co-creating paintings, then uses the works to raise funds and awareness for animal rescue and conservation efforts.

Her work is at the intersection of art and wildlife conservation. Over the years, her work has been widely collected by the likes of Pharrell Williams among others, and has helped raise thousands of dollars for wildlife conservation in India and Singapore. 

“I would like people to stop and consider the impact of their actions, whether it’s riding elephants or watching animals perform. Whether it’s deforestation or concretization of Mother Earth. My message is “co-existence” because if we don’t accept it, we are doomed. Once the wildlife perishes, we follow very quickly.”, Alpana’s response to what is the impact she would like to have with her works!