Jake Jung ’23 had an original painting chosen for the eighth annual National Art Honor Society/National Junior Art Honor Society (NAHS/NJAHS) Juried Exhibition. His piece, created with acrylic paint, is titled Emotional, and was one of only 127 works chosen for recognition out of 2,410 submissions. Submissions were judged in five categories: Visual Communication, Execution, Formal Elements, Originality, and Artist Statement, by jurors from fourteen different schools of art and design. 

Jake describes his piece as follows: “The layers of my face represent different emotions working together creating a unified human machine.  The rotating gears are my mind thinking. The masks are sadness, curiosity, and seriousness. These are all dark, but essential feelings to humans. Without them, we would not be able to feel sympathy or empathy.  With them, we are not mechanical. 

The surroundings are dark because I wanted to match the color with my emotions while giving it a sense of mystery. The trees in the background, on the other hand, represent the continuation of life, as I grow up, I learn to find new things. Like tree branches stretching out, I am expanding my horizons.”

The 2023 exhibition will be on display in the National Art Education Association Virtual Gallery through June 30, 2023. Congratulations to Jake on his beautiful work and this recognition!