Ugonma Chike-Kalu Wins Battle of the Books High School Expressive Art Competition

This year’s Battle of the Books high school winner is Ugonma Chike-Kalu, a 10th-grade student from Western School of Technology, located in the Catonsville Branch service area. The winning project is based on her interpretation of “Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel” by Jason Reynolds. Ugonma received a $100 VISA gift card for winning the competition. 

Battle of the Books is a reading-incentive, book-based competition for elementary, middle and high school students featuring Black-Eyed Susan Award books. The high school competition encouraged students to submit expressive art (written work, image, audio or video) based on any of the Battle of the Books titles for high schoolers. Each work of art included an artist statement to share the creative process and the message from the book. 

Ugonma’s Edited Artist Statement 

What message from the book did you want to convey, or what did you want to say about the book as a whole? 

My goal with this project was to convey the message of the book in a visual and interactive way. Through my painting, poem and 3D model of an elevator, I aimed to highlight the book’s themes of gun violence, death, the cycle of violence and redemption. The protagonist's journey in the elevator represents the difficulty of confronting one's past, facing the truth and choosing to let go of the anger and pain that perpetuates the cycle of violence. 

Another goal was to convey the message of how detrimental traditional societal ways can be on upcoming generations and how the endless cycles that haunt and weigh us down can ultimately be broken to guide us toward a new path of redemption, hope and change. 

By using images, such as blood, cigarettes and a gun, I aimed to create a powerful visual impact to evoke an emotional response from viewers while encouraging them to reflect on the impact of gun violence. In addition, I chose to include the rules and a quote from the book on the outside of the 3D model to emphasize the importance of following the rules and the consequences of breaking them. 

Ultimately, I wanted to create a powerful and thought-provoking piece to capture the essence of the book and inspire viewers to take action toward ending gun violence and promoting peace in our communities. 

What techniques and/or materials did you use to create this piece? Why did you choose them? Describe your process.  

Acrylic paints: Acrylic paints are versatile and durable, making them suitable for a range of painting techniques.  

Brushstrokes: The brushstrokes convey different moods and emotions. In some areas, I used bold strokes to depict the violence and chaos in the elevator as well as splattering red paint to depict blood and the anarchy that comes from gun violence.  

Collage: I used a collection of various themes and synthesized them together to make one general painting, poem, as well as a 3D model.  

Layering: Shadowing and layering creates the different faces in the ghost hair as well as to give the person falling down and the woman with the mask a sense of depth and dimension.  

Symbolism: I used symbolism to add meaning and depth to the artwork and make it more thought-provoking for viewers. In the painting, many hands are present to symbolize how the past and society often control one perspective, such as the hand with strings symbolizing three rules controlling the protagonist. Contrast: I used contrast to draw the viewer's eyes to certain parts of the painting to create a sense of tension or drama while still balancing themes for the viewer to grasp.  

Shadowing: I created the illusion of depth and dimension in the artwork for a sense of light and shadow to help define the shapes and forms of objects. 

Chiaroscuro techniques: I used this to create a dramatic contrast between light and dark areas to further enhance the sense of depth and three-dimensionality in the painting.  

In creating this piece, I sought to use a range of techniques and materials that would enable me to convey a complex and thought-provoking message about the book.  

Acknowledgments  

Congratulations to all 86 students who participated in this competition! And a big thank you to the many Baltimore County Public School library media specialists, teachers and staff that supported the students over the many months to read, discuss and create their projects.  

Look for more information about the 2023-2024 Battle of the Books competition in October 2023.