Poetry and Art!
Every Year Culture Keepers produces public art that interprets African American history. This Year (2014-2015) Culture Keepers at Suitland High School and Northwestern High School will create public art to interpret the poem "At War with Ourselves: The Battle of and for the Black Face Boy" by Nikky Finney. This project is in partnership with the The Clarice Center Performing Arts Center-University of Maryland.Special Thanks to our Teacher Liaisons: Jamea Richmond Edwards (Northwestern High School, VPA) Maria Saldana (CVPA, Suitland High School).
About Poem:
A series of performances commissioned by The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and Center Stage will highlight the poem At War with Ourselves: The Battle of and for the Black Face by Nikky Finney, which expresses the African American male experience in the U.S. The poem also explores the African American presence in the Civil War and offers a focused and uncensored gaze at what tore our nation apart, racially and culturally, past and present.
About Public Art:
Culture Keepers at CVPA, Suitland High School and Northwestern High School, VPA are collaborating with the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, to interpret the poem ""At War with Ourselves: The Battle of and for the Black Face Boy" by Nikky Finney.
Weekly Workshops:
Before any major art project, we must do our research! Before we begin making the public art, we research the subject matter through History & Culture workshops and Arts Workshops.
HISTORY & CULTURE WORKSHOPS
First Steps are for students to learn the historical context of the poem. Students take part in weekly workshops exploring the African American presence in the civil war, slavery in the United States, and so much more.
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| Suitland High School: Naima and Tailyn are paired up in a discussion about their interpretation of the poem "At War with Ourselves: The Battle of and for the Black Face Boy" |
ARTS WORKSHOPS
PGAAMCC Teaching artists works with students monthly to introduce new art techniques that can be applied to final Public Art piece.
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| Northwestern High School: Students research African Textiles and create their own textile pattern |
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| Shaymar Higgs, PGAAMCC Teaching Artist, is conducting a Fabric Dying Demonstration for Students. |
