by Nicole Eisenbery & Sarah Slavin
Next week, a high school gym will be transformed into a museum. And you don’t want to miss it.
From Tuesday through Thursday, the annual Westfield District Art Show will be held in the Varsity Gym, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. the first two days and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday. The show is constructed like an educational museum. Each section will feature artwork from a specific range of grades, or from a specific course at the high school level. While walking through the museum’s gallery rooms, visitors will see the district’s curriculum unfold before their eyes.
This is the second year the “museum” will take the place of the art show. After the controversy that led to nationwide coverage of the 2015 art show, the district’s art staff decided to present the show in this museum format. This year the museum theme will be further enhanced by adding the aspect of museum guides, or curators.
These curators are high school students who have been trained by art teachers on the skill of giving a museum tour. The curators will give tours to the elementary-school students when they visit the art show with their classes. Not only does this add to the experience on the creators’ side, it also furthers the visitors’ understanding and knowledge of the art show while being more “user-friendly,” said Art Teacher Ms. Annora Happe-Conway.
Ceramics Teacher Ms. Lyn Aleksandrowicz said that addressing controversial issues is part of what teen artists do. “When students get to be at the secondary level, in high school, it is time for them to start thinking about thought-provoking things, how they relate to the environment, or how they relate to what is going on in the world around them,” she said. “If you could express that in a meaningful way visually, that is a good thing to do.”
Similarly to last year’s art show, certain pieces of art will have an “artist’s statement” written by the artist, which will explain his or her point of view on the artwork and why the artist decided to cover a certain topic. Some pieces will also have a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone to hear a statement recorded by the artist. Both of these elements bring another element to the art show and make it more museum-like.
The art displayed in the show is chosen based on its craftsmanship, creativity and thoughtfulness along with other integral elements. “It’s an incredible amount of work for each art teacher to go through thousands of pieces of work, sort, organize, mat, label, and hang the work,” Happe-Conway said.
The pressure of choosing pieces for the show is felt by all art educators. “We pick pieces up to the last minute for the show,” said Aleksandrowicz. “Sometimes when we are setting up the gym, things come together in an unusual way.”
Senior Olivia Scheuermann said the art show offers a much-needed time to savor the power and beauty of art. “I feel that art is generally underappreciated in our society and the art show is the one time a year where the hard work of students can be showcased and acknowledged,” Scheuermann said. “As a senior, I have my own little exhibit, so this year is especially important for me because I have the ability to tell a story through my paintings. Everyone should take the time to come see the beauty hidden throughout the show.”
Happe-Conway called the art show “an unparalleled event” in our school district. “One of the many things art is supposed to do is to make you think,” she said. “Works that make people question, wonder, see different viewpoints, perhaps see a student’s unique opinion on a personal subject matter are absolutely valid to be hung.”
This is the second year the “museum” will take the place of the art show. After the controversy that led to nationwide coverage of the 2015 art show, the district’s art staff decided to present the show in this museum format. This year the museum theme will be further enhanced by adding the aspect of museum guides, or curators.
These curators are high school students who have been trained by art teachers on the skill of giving a museum tour. The curators will give tours to the elementary-school students when they visit the art show with their classes. Not only does this add to the experience on the creators’ side, it also furthers the visitors’ understanding and knowledge of the art show while being more “user-friendly,” said Art Teacher Ms. Annora Happe-Conway.
Ceramics Teacher Ms. Lyn Aleksandrowicz said that addressing controversial issues is part of what teen artists do. “When students get to be at the secondary level, in high school, it is time for them to start thinking about thought-provoking things, how they relate to the environment, or how they relate to what is going on in the world around them,” she said. “If you could express that in a meaningful way visually, that is a good thing to do.”
Similarly to last year’s art show, certain pieces of art will have an “artist’s statement” written by the artist, which will explain his or her point of view on the artwork and why the artist decided to cover a certain topic. Some pieces will also have a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone to hear a statement recorded by the artist. Both of these elements bring another element to the art show and make it more museum-like.
The art displayed in the show is chosen based on its craftsmanship, creativity and thoughtfulness along with other integral elements. “It’s an incredible amount of work for each art teacher to go through thousands of pieces of work, sort, organize, mat, label, and hang the work,” Happe-Conway said.
The pressure of choosing pieces for the show is felt by all art educators. “We pick pieces up to the last minute for the show,” said Aleksandrowicz. “Sometimes when we are setting up the gym, things come together in an unusual way.”
Senior Olivia Scheuermann said the art show offers a much-needed time to savor the power and beauty of art. “I feel that art is generally underappreciated in our society and the art show is the one time a year where the hard work of students can be showcased and acknowledged,” Scheuermann said. “As a senior, I have my own little exhibit, so this year is especially important for me because I have the ability to tell a story through my paintings. Everyone should take the time to come see the beauty hidden throughout the show.”
Happe-Conway called the art show “an unparalleled event” in our school district. “One of the many things art is supposed to do is to make you think,” she said. “Works that make people question, wonder, see different viewpoints, perhaps see a student’s unique opinion on a personal subject matter are absolutely valid to be hung.”