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The Lowell

The Student News Site of Lowell High School

The Lowell

The Student News Site of Lowell High School

The Lowell

Senior artist’s work chosen for display at U.S. Capitol

Originally published on May 22, 2015

Senior Marisa Ling’s piece “Surgery and Haircuts: A Song of Farewell” won The Congressional Art Competition. Photo courtesy of Marisa Ling

Not many people get to say that Nancy Pelosi has complimented their artwork, but one Lowell student does.

Earlier this semester, senior Marisa Ling entered an art piece into the Youth Arts Festival at the Asian Art Museum. Little did she know that another contest, The Congressional Art Competition, would also look at her piece. “I had not even known about the competition until the art teacher told me that my piece had won,” Ling said.

The Congressional Art Competition is a national visual arts competition that recognizes artistic talent in high school students. About 650,000 students participate in this competition per year and the winners are chosen from each school district.

Senior Marisa Ling met House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi after her art piece won The Congressional Art Competition. Screenshot from Lowell School Loop homepage

AP Art teacher Kirsten Janssen has worked with Ling since her first day of freshman year and seen her style evolve. “Marisa’s work has loosened up in structure and content,” Janssen said. “She has been flexible and willing to try processes that she is uncomfortable attempting.

Ling’s piece is on display at the United States Capitol for a year. She was flown out to Washington D.C., where House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi awarded her a certificate. “It was very exciting and I felt honored to be blessed by her presence,” Ling said. “She seemed a little surprised by my piece. The first thing that she said when she saw my art piece was, ‘Oh, this reminds me of my dentist visit!’”

“It felt amazing just to be considered, especially because of all the other wonderfully talented contestants from Lowell.”

Ling’s piece, “Surgery and Haircuts: A Song of Farewell,”was inspired by 15th-17th century medical illustrations. “The ‘labels’ in the piece, when read from top to bottom, feature my grandfather’s favorite poem in Chinese,” Ling said. “The poem centers on the theme of being homesick and I wanted to relate this with the idea of detachment from the physical body. I like to think of the body as a home for one’s spirit.” Ling initially made the piece for a college application portfolio.

Ling’s artwork was chosen from a selection of many other pieces by Lowell students to be featured in the Congressional Art Competition. “It felt amazing just to be considered, especially because of all the other wonderfully talented contestants from Lowell,” Ling said.

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Senior artist’s work chosen for display at U.S. Capitol