Abroad during the February Half Term

Wellington regularly sends groups abroad during half terms and holidays. Here are a couple of recent reports.

New York Art Trip

Wellington Art students travelled to New York in February half term in the hopes of not only capturing the unique essence of the notorious frantic pace of the city, but to witness the rich supply of legendary art works by the likes of Picasso, Matisse, Monet, Rothko, Rauschenberg..And the list just goes on.

The experience of being face to face with works in the MoMA Art Gallery such as Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" was one which was beyond words. Such power and dominance from one painting; no words can describe it. This moment for me, was probably most impacting. Not only because the painting itself is one of the most important works in the genesis of modern art, but because personally, I believe that it holds a special key to the rarity and inimitability of art; expression comes to mind.

We didn't only visit the MoMa; we were flooded in opportunities to visit all the most influential galleries of the city; The Guggenheim, The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All of the galleries help many pieces of prominent art which made the experience of learning about the history of art that much more exciting.

The other side to the trip was filled with the fun of exploring a new city, and of course sightseeing. We got to experience the statue of Liberty at its greatest while on a ferry tour, also getting incredible views and picture moments of the skyscrapers of New York City. Watching the sun setting over colourful lights of New York from The Rockefeller Centre was another moment which will be unforgettable.

Overall, the experience was not only educational, but one where we had the opportunity to taste New York life, and face to face flashes with some of the most renowned works in  the artistic world. And none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for a brilliant Director of Art; Mr Hedges, Thank You.

Tiger Kloof

Over half term a group of Wellingtonians (6 boys, 6 girls and two staff) visited Tiger Kloof School near Vryburg, South Africa.    Using the school as a base, they were able to engage in community service projects: soup kitchens, decorating primary school classrooms, building paths, digging trenches, laying paths, painting, tiling and basic plumbing.  Working in an area of extreme poverty and racism was an emotional experience.  In partnership with Tiger Kloof and Windermere St Anne's, fellow members of the Round Square family, the group learned much about the local community as well as themselves.

Tiger Kloof itself is an extraordinarily important school in South Africa.  Founded in the nineteenth century by Robert Moffat and The London Missionary Society, the school was forced to close under the Bantu Education Act which forbade the teaching of English to the black and coloured populations.  We are proud to have played a very small part in the School's renaissance since reopening in 1995.  A visit to Tiger Kloof is a rich cultural and spiritual experience.

Some of the group enjoying an exuberant Church service.

Politics trip to Washington and New York

The Politics trip to Washington DC and New York was not only a great celebration of finishing our exam but also a great opportunity to visit the key political centres and learn more about American culture.    Washington DC, being the heart of the American Political system, had a lot to offer. Just seeing the White House was an experience I will never forget .  Visits to the National Archives and the US Capitol building helped us build on our knowledge of Americas history and how it has influenced the political arena that exists today.   As well as an array of other monuments and museums, we also made the most of American food!

The second part of our trip was in New York.    Our tour guide (a man that has lived in New York for nearly 60 years) took us on a walking tour of lower and middle Manhattan where we saw the major attractions such as the Statute of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Ground Zero... this list goes on.    Our final night was spent in Broadway watching 'Guys and Dolls'. It was an amazing production!    Heading to the airport on the Friday afternoon, we all felt very reluctant to leave!

By David Dougall (U6th)