To many, art is a creative outlet to express one’s emotions.  Featured in last month’s art show, Jake Tenenbaum’s (’15) “13%” is now being displayed in the school’s glass showcase near the theater.

After four years of taking the 3D art elective course, Tenenbaum has elevated his love for art with this ultimate electronic masterpiece.  During his time at Cherry Hill High School East, Tenenbaum developed and matured as an artist and perfected his craftsmanship.

Tenenbaum started his journey with his love for old audio equipment.  He was able to capitalize on that affection to create the basis for this masterpiece. Tenenbaum’s love for old equipment blossomed as he diligently planned how to best exhibit his artistic expression.  He then searched, sorted and assembled pieces of equipment.  This equipment was not what you would think of as art.  Rather, most would consider this type of old equipment junk or garbage.  Luckily, Tenenbaum was able to find a business that could supply him with the pieces he needed.  Magnum Computer Recycling supported Tenenbaum’s work and provided him with access to plenty of old equipment.  After five long months, he had gathered enough old electronic equipment that he would ultimately organize, stack and layer next to, on top and in between each other in a way that turned the junk into a masterpiece of artistic expression.

While the art piece started out as a way for Tenenbaum to express his emotions and love for old audio equipment, the finished masterpiece has elicited different emotional responses from viewers.

Tenenbaum said, “A lot of people said that [the sculpture] brought them back to their childhood, they recognized familiar turntables, tvs, etc.”

Tenenbaum’s masterpiece shows how the Cherry Hill East community can truly appreciate artwork in completely different ways.  “13%” has brought back childhood memories for some and curiosity for others.  Like any great masterpiece, the artwork affects each individual differently based on that individual’s unique life experiences.

Just by simply walking in the hallway near the glass showcase, one can see that it is almost impossible not to stare and become mesmerized by the detail and arrangement of the individual elements within “13%.” It was Tenenbaum’s intent to leave East with a legacy.

Tenenbaum stated “[I] wanted to build something big for the art show this year so I could go out with bang.”

Although the art show had many talented artists with a plethora of pieces and incredible designs, the intricate blend of technical equipment in perfect balance with the artwork as a whole leaves a memorable impact on viewers.

After finishing his high school career at East, Tenenbaum will be continuing his pursuit in the arts.

Tenenbaum said, “Art is a part of my life and it always will be.”

Like a true artist, Tenenbaum was able to take objects that would appear to be of little to no artistic value and turn it into something that not only expressed Tenenbaum’s creativity but elicited an emotional response from viewers.  What they say must be true . . . “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”