Art is for people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, races, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds
Art transcends boundaries – it can start conversations, provoke thought, cause people to think or feel, or both
Art is democratic, and not elitist. It is not just for those who visit museums regularly, or have knowledge of art history. It is all around us, though few of us go through our daily lives thinking that way.
ArtRandom proposes two trips each to underserved schools in the New York City area, ones that don’t have enough funds to offer robust art programs (or any art program at all). During the first visit, we will to engage the children in a conversation about what they think art is, and discussing examples. We will then make our visual presentation, talking with the children all along.
ArtRandom will present visual board triptychs:
The first image will be a “traditional” piece of art - a painting or sculpture one might find in a museum.
The second image will be an alternative form of art: an artist/performer who has taken a similar concept, or motif, and created something out in the world for everyone to see - some kind of visual or thematic “riff”.
The third image is anything that made us think of one or both of the first boards. It might be anything – a toy, a crayon, something in the playground, something in the street, a piece of candy…
After going through our boards, the children will get the idea of where we are going. We will then present them with their own boards that have a “fill in the blank” for them to complete. This could be any form: a picture from their phone they print out; a magazine, paper, or catalogue image they cut out, or even something they draw.
When we return (1-2 weeks later, but this is flexible), we will have an open class discussion about the children’s choices, and why they chose what they did. The hope is to demonstrate how many different forms art can take, and how individual it can be. As they start thinking about their homework and selecting something to fill in the blank, they will start to look at things differently. The hope is that their concepts of art will change, their ideas about what art can be will be opened up, and they will start realizing that art is for them, too. It is for everyone. And it might be anywhere.
ArtRandom might lead a child to a career in art. In any event, the hope is that children will see the world differently - as a place with examples of beauty, aspiration and hope all around them.