Zi Yu Xiao

Belmont City College

Year 12

Glazed ceramics

40 x 26 x 15 cm

This piece represents the overwhelming pressure and responsibilities of entering adulthood. It’s the combination of a physical geographical cape; created by the greens of mountains and the blues of rivers and valleys; and the clothing item, a cape worn on the shoulders of a person. The person is small, goofy faced and curled up, refusing to wear the cape, representing me and 17-year-olds alike, who hate and fear growing up, and taking up responsibilities such as graduation, education, awards, and houses as they weigh down the cape. The hand symbolises fate and destiny holding up and choking the cape as to say: wear it, uphold it. Thus, it aims to find common grounds for youths of today.