Seeking the Self through Art

THE EXHIBITION

"Window of Self: Untitled" by Racheal Ray. (Detail from a window pane.)

This exhibition reflects the creative efforts of middle-school student artists who spent several weeks exploring their identities in a program called Seeking the Self. Combining new and heightened skills, the participants expressed in various ways how they see themselves, how they think others see them and, perhaps hidden inside a box or behind a window, the essence of who they really are or hope to be, the part of themselves that the world may or may not see. The works on view suggest all the internal exploration, experimentation, group experiences, and personal development that occurred as part of this project. This exhibition is both an acknowledgment and a celebration of the visible and the invisible experiences the participants shared during their time together.

THE PROGRAM

Identity exploration was the focus of this pilot program for 6th-, 7th- and 8th-graders enrolled in Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate (BRMA), in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Seeking the Self was based on the idea that developing skills to create new works of art, as well as interpreting and responding to existing works, offers middle-school students pathways toward a deeper understanding and development of who they are and can hope to be.

On Monday afternoons between February and May, the students met to talk about and to make art with two Ackland Art Museum educators, a social worker and two local artists. In the Ackland galleries, participants forged personal connections with works of art that "spoke" to them about their past, their present, and their possible future. They carried those connections to a studio, where they experimented with a variety of materials, techniques, colors and symbols to create visual examples of different facets of their own and their ancestors' identities.

THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

Ashley Abraham
Kenyette Browning
Joshua Davis
Latesha Farrington
Giovanni Hickerson
Xavier K. Hill
Erin Leak
Arjsa'Nell O. Odom
Racheal Ray
Anthony M. Tucker
Kayla Turner

THE PARTNERS

• Ackland Art Museum at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The Ackland's Education Program has gained recognition for its learner-centered approach to arts education. The Museum's educational philosophy stresses the depth and quality of the experience with original works of art - one that acknowledges and honors participants' contributions to the dialogue with art. Facilitating this communication between people and works of art can take many interactive forms, and Ackland staff work continuously to develop new approaches that are accessible, enjoyable, engaging, and relevant to program participants. In addition to school programs, past after-school programs have offered students a combination of gallery and studio encounters related to the Museum's collection and students' experiences.

• Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate (BRMA) is a comprehensive support program for students with undeveloped potential that provides them with mentoring, tutoring, advocacy, enrichment, leadership training and scholarship support services. Sponsored by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, BRMA trains mentor-advocates to identify their mentee's individual potential, and then help that child find ways to tap into that potential for growth. Teachers, school social workers, and other staff within the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School system recommend students for participation in the program in the fourth grade. Students usually continue their involvement in the program until they graduate from high school.

• In Our Hands
This innovative, not-for-profit organization combines experiential learning and creative expression to connect people to themselves, to each other and to the world. Based in the Triangle area, the organization currently serves Chatham, Durham, and Orange counties. Believing that personal stories harbor the power for change, In Our Hands provides individuals and communities with tools to encounter, hear, and actively engage those stories both during their programs and after they end. Innovative tools include visual and performance arts, as well as oral history. They serve clients through consulting, conducting workshops and classes, developing curricula, and training laypeople and educators in the following topics: community documentation, creative visioning for individuals and organizations, artistic development, cross-cultural experiences, prejudice reduction, incorporation of creative arts, collaborative and experience-based learning, and specialized classroom curricula.

Studio and exhibition spaces for Seeking the Self were provided by the Art Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, located in the Hanes Art Center.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Ackland Art Museum
http://www.ackland.org/education/k12/
Beth Shaw McGuire, (919) 962-0479
bas5705@email.unc.edu
TTY: (919) 962-0837

Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate
http://www.chccs.k12.nc.us/brma/
Graig Meyer, (919) 967-8211 ext. 250
gmeyer@chccs.k12.nc.us

In Our Hands
http://www.inourhands.org
Michelle M. Segbefia, (919) 484-0071
michelle_segbeffia@yahoo.com

Seeking the Self was made possible through the generous support of The Grable Foundation.