Meng Announces Winner of Congressional Art Contest
Competition consisted of entries from Queens high school students; winner is 11th grader from Rego Park who will have her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol
QUEENS, NY – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced today that Angela Lin, an 11th grader from Rego Park, Queens has been selected as the winner of the Congresswoman’s annual congressional district art contest.
The competition, which consisted of entries from Queens high school students, is part of “An Artistic Discovery,” the national art contest held annually by the House of Representatives that showcases the artwork of students in Congressional districts across the nation.
Lin’s winning piece – along with the winning artwork from other Congressional districts throughout the United States – will now be displayed for one year within the halls of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. She and the other first place winners also traveled to Capitol Hill this week for a special ceremony to recognize their artistic talents.
Lin placed first for her painting entitled “Unsung Heroes” which portrays two sanitation workers working in the rain. According to Lin, she decided to recognize the contributions of sanitation workers because they provide an invaluable service in keeping communities clean and safe. She currently attends the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts.
“The young artists from our communities continue show such enormous creativity and talent through the great artwork that they submit for my competition, and I am again impressed and inspired by the entries I received this year,” said Congresswoman Meng. “I am proud of all the students who entered, and I’m thrilled to congratulate Angela Lin for being selected as this year’s winner. I am excited that her winning piece will hang in the Capitol and can’t wait to see it displayed for so many to see.”
“I am ecstatic about winning the Congresswoman’s competition, and deeply honored that my artwork will be displayed in the United States Capitol,” said Angela Lin. “I’m grateful to the judges and Congresswoman Meng for this tremendous recognition and amazing opportunity.”
Meng announced Lin as the winner during a reception she held for students who submitted artwork and their families. The reception was at the Elmhurst branch of the Queens Public Library, where all of the entered artwork was on display. The Congresswoman also presented the students with certificates of Congressional recognition.
In addition to Lin's first place award, Meng announced the second and third place winners whose artwork will be displayed for one year in Meng’s Northeast Queens office.
- Second Place Winner
Menglin Chen, a 10th grader at Veritas Academy in Flushing for her artwork “Forsaken Alleyway.”
- Third Place Winner
Xiao Yan Wang, a 10th grader at Newtown High School in Elmhurst for her piece titled “Life in Jungle.”
Meng also announced two students tied for fourth place and one fifth place winner.
- Fourth Place Winner
Ester Pinari, a 10th grader from the Windsor School in Flushing for her entry named “Liberty Enlightening the World.”
- Fourth Place Winner
Mazal Khaimova from Hadar Bet Yaakov in Fresh Meadows for her artwork called “A Tribute To 13 million.”
- Fifth Place Winner
Madina Ibadulloyeva, a 12th grader from Forest Hills High School in Forest Hills for her entry “Somewhere Only We Used To Know.”
The judges consisted of an outside panel that included:
- Daniel Bamba: Director of Arts Services at Flushing Town Hall
- Julia del Palacio, Ph.D.: Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development at Queens College
- Sarah Cho: Assistant Curator at the Queens Museum
The competition's entries consisted of artwork from a variety of mediums including paintings (oil, watercolors, acrylic, etc.), collages, drawings and prints (lithographs, silk screens, etc.). There were 27 submissions for this year’s competition.
The Artistic Discovery contest was launched in 1982 for Members of Congress to highlight the artistic work of high school students from around the nation. Since it began, hundreds of thousands of high school students from throughout the United States have participated in the competition.