Art is a key component of Westminster life and one of the most popular disciplines for Upper School students. Thus, numerous art organizations exist around campus to bolster the impact of art on the Upper School. One of these groups, Creating Communities, is an application-based student group that goes on monthly trips around the city to places like the Atlanta Art Show as well as one out-of-town trip for the year. The group aims to allow students to understand how artwork can connect communities in ways never seen before. Additionally, in-person experiences at art shows help students brainstorm ideas for projects they will collectively work on in the spring, which will eventually be available for the Westminster community to see. This past month, students in the group had the privilege of visiting the Prospect New Orleans event.
Prospect New Orleans is a triennial contemporary art initiative that aims to bring new art to an old city through diverse selections of art. Founded in 2007 after the landmark Hurricane Katrina, Prospect.1, curated by Dan Cameron, emphasized untraditional venues in a city still stricken in the storm’s aftermath. This year marked the sixth iteration of the exhibit, suitably named Prospect.6, and to continue their tradition of incorporating art into the city, the show included exhibitions in places from public areas to more important spaces with historical and cultural significance. Additionally, the exhibition was much more centered around the concept of “home” in the city, and shaped this perspective through artworks from around the globe, including the Caribbean, South America, and Europe.
“There were a bunch of influences from other cultures,” said junior Wes Ziglar. “There was a big Vietnamese presence which was cool to see.”
As noted by Ziglar, this year’s show included a significant emphasis on the Vietnamese population. Works by Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn, Christian Việt Ðinh, and Tuan Mami explored the legacy of immigrants from Vietnam to a new city. Notably, Mami’s work included invitations to the public to join in learning about the experiences of local Vietnamese elders.
“Prospect is unique because it is the only art exhibit that is curated across an entire city in America,” said Ben Steele, Creating Communities faculty sponsor and Upper School art teacher. “There were twenty different venues, everything from the floor of a museum to public parks.”
Furthermore, Steele emphasized his fascination with the incorporation of artwork into everyday objects he saw at Prospect.
“We went to a little park that had a playground on it,” said Steele. “There was a sculpture that was made that you could hit. The whole thing was designed to be an instrument that could be played.” Here, Steele references a work in Lemann Park created by artist Ashley Teamer called “Tambourine Cypress.”
Steele also underscored the impact of the art show on the perspectives of both himself and his students.
“An event like this makes you think differently about the place you are in,” said Steele. “It opens up possibilities of how you could interact with your everyday environment. You walk up and down the same stairwell every day and then someone puts up a mural. You would’ve never thought how much that changes your experience.”
The Creating Communities trip to New Orleans was an inspiring and transformative experience for all those involved. Students witnessed innovation and creativity at a professional level and opened their minds to new concepts regarding their own identity and the possibilities of their craft. From murals throughout the city to interactive sculptures, students and faculty were not just spectators of a city-wide movement but also active participants. Students were able to learn from their experiences and develop their creativity, and their time in New Orleans was a transformative experience that will allow them to create new works that will connect the Westminster community in unprecedented ways.
Edited by Lucas Liu
