The program integrates photography and writing literacy to help students learn to express themselves.
Aldine HS’s project centered on dreams and surrealism.
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]F[/dropcap]otoFinish is a museum-quality exhibition of student artwork. They took part in FotoFest’s Literacy Through Photography (LTP) program.
Many of the participating Houston area classrooms created work inspired by [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]FotoFest’s REFUGEE exhibit. The exhibit originated at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles.
Photo by Emily Rojas
The REFUGEE Exhibit represents the lives of refugees dispersed and displaced throughout the world. This exhibit offers insight into their plight. Visitors will get an idea of their efforts to survive and their needs. They will also see refugees’ dreams and their hopes for a better future. The photographs are by acclaimed artists. The REFUGEE Exhibit at [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]FotoFest International runs between May 11 through July 15, 2017.
[icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]LTP is Houston’s longest-running visual literacy and writing program. It has offered more than 30,000 students and teachers the opportunity to learn and express themselves through photography.
The program has grown form a pilot project to a full-scale, integrated photography and writing literacy program that can be used with many different grade levels and core classroom subjects. Each photo activity is accompanied by writing exercises keyed to state-mandated language arts standards.
Photo by Perneja Foreman
The Aldine High School students are from Birgit Langhammer’s art/photography class. Langhammer shared that the students developed the concept and works on their own. She stated she only “facilitated in cutting and gluing the photos to the mats.”
Langhammer added that at the start of the project, she and the students did talk about surrealist artists like André Breton, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Man Ray and Salvador Dali. The surrealist movement looked at the contradictory conditions of dream and reality.
Suurealists developed works that represented an absolute reality or super-reality. They painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision. The artists created strange creatures from everyday objects. And they developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself.
Photo by Karla Jimenez
“We had a fantastic conversation about dreams,” Langhammer said. “Yet, the students were the curators of their show. They had to come up with ideas on how to present the photos they took to represent the chosen topic ‘Dreamscapes.’
“Student Janet Soto came up with the open door/window concept. And her peer Karla Jimenez wrote the project description.
“Everyone else contributed the photos. The students designed, created and painted their exhibit to showcase their works.
Photo by Alyssa Gutiérrez
“It was the perfect project for the end of the school year. The students got to work as a group to accomplish something together.”
The Mustangs’ show is interactive. Visitors will see an “Open Your Mind to…” sign with a window they can open and close themselves.
Aldine HS FotoFinish 2017 Project
Title of Group Project: Dream Window
Students: Perneja Foreman, Nallely Guerra, Alyssa Gutiérrez, Destenie Herrera, Karla Jimenez, Emily Rojas & Janet Soto
Photo by Destenie Herrera
Project Description: When we dream, during the night or during the day, we enter another reality. This project wants to capture the surreal nature of dreams and express something of the often-untapped potential of dreams. Students in Photography 3 and 4 projected self-designed transparencies onto a person and took photographs that were blurred and dream-like. The window is a symbol of our mind that we can open to new viewpoints, perspectives, and realities.
Opening Reception Held May 13 @ Art Car Museum
FotoFinish 2017 has 40 exhibiting school and community programs that took part. The exhibit includes student and adult works.
Ann and James Harithas invited students and families to attend the celebratory FotoFinish reception. It took place at the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Art Car Museum (140 Heights Blvd, Houston 77007). The event showcased student work and readings.
The regular public opening took place from 7-10 p.m.
The LTP FotoFinish 2017 Student Exhibit will run between May 13 through August 12 at the Art Car Museum.
Nice job!
View images from the reception below.
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