As part of the interdisciplinary project “80 Years Since World War II: Art in Times of War,” students from the Aesthetics Elective, guided by Mr. Luis González, completed an in-depth critical writing unit that brought together history, philosophy, and artistic interpretation. Over four weeks, students developed critical essays examining the ethical, aesthetic, and historical dimensions of art created, censored, or stolen during the Second World War.
This activity invited students to move beyond description and engage with the deeper questions that shape the relationship between art, memory, and cultural identity. To prepare for this task, students first received a contextual presentation on wartime art and cultural looting, followed by an exchange with 8th grade Visual Arts students, who shared their pictorial analyses of stolen masterpieces. This cross-grade dialogue enriched the elective students’ perspectives, helping them understand how visual analysis, historical context, and ethical interpretation come together when studying art in times of violence.
Students then produced essays presenting a clear thesis, supported by structured arguments, contextual evidence, and aesthetic analysis of selected artworks. Their writing explored themes such as the moral implications of Nazi looting, the responsibility of artists under oppressive regimes, the power of visual memory, and the contemporary relevance of restitution debates. Alongside aesthetic theory, students incorporated reflections on identity, collective trauma, and the enduring impact of cultural erasure.
In line with the school’s innovative approach, students made ethical, supervised use of Artificial Intelligence tools to support their research and editing processes. AI was used to gather preliminary information, refine structure, fact-check data, and improve clarity, without replacing the students’ conceptual creativity or academic voice. This responsible use of digital tools strengthened their ability to evaluate information critically and to write with precision.
The essays demonstrate a high level of academic maturity, connecting the students’ aesthetic interpretations with the broader historical and ethical questions raised by the Second World War. This activity also strengthened the interdisciplinary nature of the project, linking the Aesthetics Elective with History, Geography, Visual Arts, Advanced English Literature, and The ICT extracurricular class.
As students finalize their written work, their essays stand as thoughtful contributions to the project’s exploration of how art not only represents history, but also confronts it.
