My middle school Pedagogy of Photography students are in a great exhibit through World Savvy at NYU. Check it out! Below is their artists' statement.
"Phases of Existence is brought to you by Bronx youth participating in Pedagogy of Photography (POP). For our piece we reveal to you our Phases of Existence through self portraiture and poetry. Our Faces become the Phases of the Moon decorated with a variety of mediums revealing our state of being. We chose to use Emergency Blankets (AKA Space Blankets designed by NASA) as a background so that you too can see yourself and remember others in our art. It is reflective like a mirror, like the Moon. It's reflection brings warmth...to migrants during their journey, marathon runners at the end of their journey, to us as we navigate our journey as adolescent immigrants and hopefully to you as you reflect on your Phases of Existence.
We are constantly reminded of how we are different especially when we talk about immigration and identity so this art is meant to show how we are united. No matter what country you come from, what religion you practice, what gender you are or prefer, what age you are, what side of the border you are on, what education you have, we can all see and believe in the Moon. What we believe might be different. Your New Moon might be my Full Moon but it doesn't matter. The Moon does not discriminate. It illuminates. It unites us not only with each other but with history itself as the moon has been revered as gods and goddess, been a part of oral history and folklore in every culture, affects earths oceans and has even guided women in ovulation and menstruation.
We believe the Moon is the perfect symbol of our journey as immigrant adolescents. We have changed. We are changing. Even if we try to stop the change, we are pulled into a new phase of our lives. It is inevitable. The Moon is always changing, morphing, altering just like us. Our friendships, our beliefs, our bodies, our connection to our culture. The Moon embraces every state and emotion that enters our being, pride, shame, emptiness, sincerity, rejection, forgiveness, methodicalness, inexperience, illiteracy, hope, love, shyness, reaching our goals, imperfection, ignorance, hiding our true selves, disappointment, maturity, uncertainty, jealousy, satisfaction, assimilation, enlightenment, appreciation and being savvy!
May the Moon and our photographic installation piece bring out the lunatic in you, the believer in you,the loner in you, the dreamer in you, the dark side in you, the poet it you, the planter in you, the harvester in you, the romantic in you, the individual in you, the unusual in you, the teenager in you, the immigrant in you, the change in you."
POP's Phases of Existence:
Artists:
Christina Aviles
Jenifer Mejia
Christopher Mejia
Irena Nilaj
Jasmine Rodriguez
Mario Staka
Juvella Tolentino
Vivia Thompson
Katya Urbano
World Savvy is also hosting a fundraising reception on Thursday May 28 at 6:00 pm at the same location, to raise support for the Global Youth Media and Arts Program in NYC. Guests will enjoy a private viewing and tour of the exhibition, a special presentation by featured youth artists, and bid on student artwork during the silent auction. Hors d’oeuvers and refreshments will be served. Tickets are available on a sliding scale from $50 to $250 at Brown Paper Tickets, online at www.worldsavvy.org
Location: When: Friday May 29, 2009 @ 6 pm Where: NYU Commons Gallery NYU Seinhardt Barney Building, Ground Fl
