Year 12 Amsterdam Art Trip - Student Report!

The art trip to Amsterdam was very beneficial as it provided us with key skills and experience in creating studies in plein-air as well as having the chance to analyse great masterpieces up close.

Not only did the trip allow us to develop our skills and understanding of art for the course, but it was also a great opportunity to bond and have fun with the class. We found that staying in a small group allowed us to get closer and also provided us with a sense of independence which you can only get in this school trip environment. 

During the trip we were able to visit many museums, including the Rijkmuseum. I found this especially interesting due to the collection of historic art by Vermeer and Rembrandt, both of which I had previously studied as part of my coursework. We were encouraged to think more critically about the work we saw, especially in the Stedelijk special exhibition of Marina Abramović where we considered the symbolic, moral and political meanings of the performance artwork. This was a helpful skill to have when reflecting on other works in our A Level course.

Overall, one of the most memorable parts of this trip was visiting the famous Van Gogh Museum and seeing the ‘Sunflowers’ painting, as well as learning about the context behind the work. This experience made me appreciate the texture and brushstrokes of the original piece and sparked ideas for my own personal project.

As well as schoolwork though, we had free time to explore parts of the city including the flower market and a bike ride through the sculpture park at the Kröller-Müller Museum, which was a really unique and memorable experience to share with friends. The evenings were also exciting with the lively atmosphere and games available in the hostel as well as dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe!

Annabelle Year 12