SPECIAL EVENTS
Art as Activism Week
January 4-January 11, 2008
A collaboration with Tribeca Film Institute and Visiting Artist Mtume Gant
In conjunction with an in-school, all-school screening of the film Darius Goes West organized by Tribeca Film Institute, throughout the week, students were asked to consider the power of art in addressing important social and political issues. They both studied examples from other artists and activists, and used their own creative expression as a tool to spread awareness of causes important to them.
Art as Activism week had three main components:
In-School Film Screenings: Darius Goes West
Friday, January 4 and Wednesday, January 9, 2008, 8:30-10:30 a.m. @UAMA
Darius Goes West tells the story of 15-year-old Darius Weems from Athens, GA, who was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the most common fatal genetic disorder to affect children worldwide. In 1999, Darius watched his beloved older brother, Mario, die of the same disease. Shortly after, he lost the use of his leg muscles and became wheelchair-bound. A group of Darius's college friends decided to take him on a trip cross-country, with the ultimate goal of reaching Los Angeles to convince MTV to customize Darius's wheelchair on its hit show Pimp my Ride. Along the way, Darius and his friends raise awareness of DMD and the conditions affecting people with disabilities.
In this special in-school, all-school screening, UAMA students viewed Darius Goes West and used it as a catalyst for discussion of how art and media can be tools for social change. This inspired their original creative pieces, exhibited at the culminating open mic event.
Representatives from Tribeca Film Institute attended the screenings to record students’ responses on film, and to allow select students to film “video letters” to Darius himself.
Classroom Workshops
All week @UAMA
Before and after showing the film, UAMA English and social studies teachers explored the topic of art as activism through historical examples and hands-on projects. Students both researched and presented other artist-activists, and created original works to present at the culminating Open Mic party. Extended Studio arts elective teachers were also encouraged to explore the connection between their art forms and activism.
Spread the Word: Art as Activism Open Mic Party
Thursday, January 10, 2008 2:30-5:30pm @UAMA
To close “Art as Activism” week, UAMA students presented and exhibited their original visual, performance, and written pieces at an open mic party. These works included posters paying tribute to John Lennon, Tupac Shakur, and the Guerrilla Girls; advertising campaigns to raise awareness of sexism in rap music and endangered species; comic strips about the Iraq war, spoken word poems about sexual abuse, a dance about domestic violence, and a song about global warming, among many others. The event was emceed by guest spoken word/hip hop artist Mtume Gant, who introduced the topic of hip hop as a social movement. Representatives from Tribeca Film Institute filmed the student performances and discussed the power of documentary films to affect change.
Click for images of “Spread the Word”
Click for images of Art as Activism student work
For a complete list of trips and events for the current academic year, visit our field trips and special events page.
