Bi-lingual student supports art exhibition at Bath Spa University

We were delighted to see Royal High Bath, GDST represented at a recent international art exhibition hosted at Bath Spa University, organised by two of our talented art technicians. The exhibition brought together British and Japanese artists in a vibrant celebration of contemporary art and cross-cultural collaboration.

As part of the pre-launch event, renowned Japanese artist and curator Takashi Sasaoka gave a compelling talk on his decades of work in surrealist art. Sasaoka is the curator at Contemporary Arts & Spirits in Osaka and a lecturer in Art & Design. His presentation was accompanied by a traditional Japanese tea and cake ceremony, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for guests and artists alike.

We were especially proud of Isabelle, one of our Year 10 students, who was invited to act as translator for Mr Sasaoka’s talk. Originally planned as a short presentation, the talk extended to nearly an hour, and Isabelle rose to the challenge with grace and professionalism. Her translation was clear, eloquent, and impressively nuanced—especially given the sophisticated subject matter of surrealist art.

Isabelle’s involvement was a testament to her linguistic skill, maturity, and poise. It was also a milestone moment for her personally, as it marked the first time she had used her Japanese outside of Tokyo. Following the talk, Isabelle enjoyed speaking with artists and guests, including Mr Sasaoka himself, and represented Royal High Bath with distinction.

We are immensely proud of Isabelle and grateful to our staff for their continued commitment to enriching the artistic and cultural life of our school community.