17 Apr 2016

Our VOiCE

On the 13th of April, the fourteenth publication of the school’s annual literary magazine, VOiCE, was finally released! Teachers and students alike attended the magazine’s launch with enthusiasm, gathering at the library to listen to the writers and artists talk about their masterpieces, which are featured in this year’s edition.

Long Yin of 12P2, whose intricate painting of a chain of flowers appears in the magazine, unravelled the mystery behind her artwork. “Living in a fast-paced concrete jungle,” she said, “we are often too busy to appreciate the small things in life like the flowers in this piece. This is why I used this painting to convey the vitality of nature in contrast to the lifelessness of our urban jungle.”

“While the piece depicts ballet in its graceful essence,” Jennifer Yu of 11G2, the writer of ‘Dance’, explained, “it also exposes the art form’s equally excruciating nature through the conflicting emotions of the protagonist.”

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Jennifer Yu reveals the meaning behind her poem, ‘Dance’. Photo: Anson Tong

Students from all year groups contributed towards the sixteen poems, short stories and prose pieces, as well as the eighteen art compositions that make up VOiCE XIV, with the youngest student being only eleven years old and the oldest, eighteen.

With a sense of achievement, Chief Literary Editor, Pallas Yiu of 12X2, remarked that the literary magazine offered students a platform to “bring to life their creativity, individuality, and imagination.”

Highlighting the multidimensional, constantly changing nature of one’s self, this year’s theme is ‘I’. “The magazine has traditionally dealt with issues that are very close-to-heart,” Henry Lui of 12G2, the Editor-in-Chief of VOiCE, explained, “but the theme of identity has never been touched upon in previous editions. We felt it was time to focus in on the common factor that links all the themes from the previous volumes together.”

According to the Editor-in-Chief, every piece showcased in VOiCE XIV does just that, and “manages to highlight the importance of one’s individuality and uniqueness.”

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ESF Director Chris Durbin praises the literary magazine. Photo: Anson Tong

ESF Director Chris Durbin concluded the launch with a few words. “[VOiCE] makes a point,” he praised. “It puts you out there. You’re in print. And there’s something about the feel of the page that really matters.”

“Keep going with your writing. Keep going with your art. Creativity,” he encouraged, “is what makes the world a better place.”

Click here to read more on VOiCE XIV.