Pre-pandemic, I planned to spend two months in Berlin as a part of Berlin Art Institute’s Studio Program. The acclaimed program would provide a studio space to work in, alongside regular critiques, events, visiting lecturers, and a community of other artists working in the shared space. My goal was to continue developing my portfolio there, taking advantage of the dedicated studio space and surrounding arts community to learn and grow as an artist.
Due to the pandemic, attending the program was no longer possible. Instead, I applied for and was accepted to a similar program in Hong Kong—HART Haus’s Social Studio program, where I shared a studio space with fifteen other artists working in HK. I spent two months—eight hours a day, five days a week—producing art in the studio, exploring a variety of mediums (painting, spray painting, etc.) and working on different projects. HART Haus provided exactly the kind of artistic community I wanted to be immersed in, and I learned an incredible amount from engaging with the other artists there.
The Benenson Award helped me cover most of the costs of attending these programs, as well as the cost of art supplies and materials.