What are we looking at?
P371K is one of two high schools in Brooklyn that service students with autism, emotional and intellectual disabilities, and school phobia. As we learned in the last year, students who often struggle to express themselves in socially appropriate ways proved to blossom when participating in the creative process with professional artists. The artists collaborated with school staff to set high expectations for small groups of students in a safe and nurturing environment. We will continue to challenge our students to use art as a platform to think critically and advocate for themselves.
Creating large-scale murals in the parking lot became an experience of sharing public art not only with our students and our school, but with the Sunset Park community, too. Writing and teaching a project-based art curriculum has the dual benefit for our students to beautify their surroundings and attain a heightened intellectual awareness of art. We need more hands-on experiences to help our unique student population build character. What’s next for this program? How can we build upon what we’ve already accomplished thus far?
Let’s move past the physical school as a canvas. We plan to work with local small businesses to create more murals, fostering positive relationships within the community in order to bolster our vocational program. Our students are teenagers most of whom are interested in fashion and other forms of self-expression. We want to utilize student interests and make learning fun and engaging. We plan to invite fashion designers to share their experiences using a workshop model. Photography is now more accessible than ever with digital cameras on phones and apps like Instagram and Snapchat. We plan to invite a photographer for a week long workshop to introduce students to a new art process, while evaluating the impact of photography on life outside of school, examining careers related to photography, and predicting how photography can add to a quality of life and lifelong learning.
Whom will our students work with?
Paola Mathe, founder of Fanm Djanm
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Fanm Djanm, which means "strong woman" in Haitian Kreyol, was founded in 2014 as a collection of eight headwraps, which Paola sold directly from her apartment on the weekends. Today, Fanm Djanm has transformed into a headwrap collection and lifestyle brand that serves to both empower and inspire women to live boldly. Fanm Djanm encourages women to wear a bold print, take command of a room, laugh a little too loudly, and pursue their greatest goals.
Rodolfo Diaz, Photographer
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Rodolfo Diaz is a Brooklyn-based photographer. He has worked with organizations like Young New Yorkers, an arts-based diversion programs to court-involved young people in New York,
Ann Lewis, Artist
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Based in Brooklyn, Ann Lewis, otherwise known as the street artist gilf!, is one of NYC's most recognized conceptual activist artists. She creates public and gallery work that evoke thoughtfulness, while simultaneously motivating progressive change within communities.
Vexta, Artist
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Currently based in Brooklyn, NY, Vexta spreads her vision across the continents and countries, studios and streets, balancing exhibitions, commissions and creative ventures alike. She has exhibited extensively across Australia, Europe and North America, including The National Gallery of Australia and has her work held in numerous public, academic and private collections globally.
Where is this money going?
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