EHS students Juliana Sanchez ‘26 and Joann Zhu ‘26 have qualified for the state level of the Teen Arts Festival with their artwork, earning recognition for pieces that move beyond brushstrokes and sketches to explore deeper, real-world connections.
Sanchez was selected for her piece titled AI Filter, which examines the role of artificial intelligence in modern hiring systems and its impact on employment.
She was inspired by a story shared by her father, a software engineer in New York. Sanchez’s father once attempted to refer a candidate for a position, but the applicant was automatically rejected by an online hiring system before any human reviewer could evaluate the application.
“He knew he would have hired the applicant and was confused how they got denied,” Sanchez said.
The artwork includes a cardboard sculpture depicting an AI figure. Sanchez originally planned to cover the structure with clay to smooth its surface, but ultimately chose to keep the rigid cardboard edges because they reflected the mechanical nature of algorithmic decision-making.
Fellow senior and honoree Zhu constructed a different piece, a layered cardboard self-portrait, embedding objects like fabric fragments and pieces of worn clothing to emphasize identity and memory. Her piece focuses on texture and structure, transforming mundane, everyday objects into a visual representation of herself.
Zhu said that a self-portait is a common form of art.
“But,” she said, “I feel proud of how I was able to put a unique touch onto it with the materials I chose to use.”
Zhu believed that the different textures used in her work of art helped it stand out and represent herself. The materials that were used are intentionally personal, capturing how identity is created from fragments of daily life.
Zhu’s artwork takes inspiration from the styles of many renowned artists who have created unique pieces, many of which were self-portraits. These artists include Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh, who used visual style and varied materials to create self-portraits that captured their own personalities and identities.
Both students will advance to the state Teen Arts Festival, where their work will be displayed alongside student artwork from across New Jersey.