Over this past summer, a group of chosen seniors in the International Baccalaureate Programme took a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark and Berlin, Germany and immersed themselves in culture, politics, and art in different European countries. During the trip, they visited various museums and cultural sites and explored different parts of the cities to engage in European life.
“It was so much fun to learn about so many different parts of European culture on this trip,” senior Deirdre Kenny said. “I was able to experience so many things I haven’t even thought about before.”
The trip was also an opportunity for students to engage in debate and conversation with local Danish students. While in Denmark, students met up with the Danish students to debate about topics like the criminal justice system and freedom of religion.
“I enjoyed being able to talk to students who experience everyday life in Denmark,” senior Scarlett Farr said. “It was a great opportunity to learn about the European culture and teenage life from people who live in it everyday.”
One of the museums students visited was the Copenhagen Contemporary Museum. This museum is filled with avant-garde installations that are displayed in a former welding facility. It is one of Scandinavia’s largest exhibitions for contemporary art, and it houses art from world stars, to new and emerging artists so that everyone may get a spotlight. The museum features artists such as Bruce Nauman and Yoko Ono, according to The Copenhagen Contemporary Museum.
The group also visited the Maersk Museum in Copenhagen. This museum is based on the danish shipping company founded by Arnold Peter Møller and Peter Mærsk Møller. “Unexpectedly, my favorite part was our visit to the Maersk Museum, a globally leading shipping company based in Copenhagen,” trip supervisor Martin Jorgensen said. “I thought the curator at the Museum did a really nice job of showing how the globalized economy works and how this one company tries to grow and expand though at the same time look for green and sustainable business solutions — not your typical museum, but I enjoyed it.”
Along with learning about art in these European countries, the students on the trip engaged in reflective art after the trip. On Sept. 19, students had the opportunity to share their art pieces at the Copenhagen and Berlin Reception in San Francisco at Convent and Stuart Hall. This allowed student’s art to be put on display in order to showcase what they experienced on their trip.
“The reception was a great way to demonstrate our experience to others,” Farr said. “I think that it helped people who weren’t on the trip become more interested in the difference in culture,”
The students’ art pieces were displayed in the Flood Center for students, staff, and parents to view and experience for a week. The students created art to reflect on the trip to think about their experiences in a different way.
“I thought that creating artworks was a great way to top off the trip,” Kenny said. “It allowed students to reflect artistically on the amazing trip that we experienced.”
