The annual Residency Program brings Skirball educators and artists directly into high school classrooms for a multi-disciplinary exploration of Jewish history, artwork, and stories from the Skirball’s collection. By exploring immigration, identity, and heritage through a Jewish lens, students build their confidence and sense of agency as members of the community using the arts and their imaginations. Over the course of 6–8 weeks, students delve into lessons from the Visions and Values curriculum, learning about Jewish life and culture which form the foundation for addressing bias and hate, especially amid rising antisemitism in our community.
This year’s Residency Program centered on Ukrainian American artist Peter Krasnow’s “The Wanderers,” a 1927 painting found in our Visions and Values permanent exhibition. Krasnow’s backstory of his journey from the darkness of pogroms to the light of Southern California refuge was a particular source of inspiration. “The composition, choice of color, and story behind the art piece helped me develop my project and helped my creative process flourish,” said Tyler Chong, an 11th grader from Loyola High School.
Guiding the talented students was teaching artist Malaika Latty. Sharing praise for her inspiring work, 11th grader Tony Kim said, “She helped me think of better ways and more meaningful ways to implement my personal narrative into my art piece, as well as providing helpful critiques and the use of pastel to help my piece look better in an artistic sense.”
From this single work of art, the Visions and Values curriculum, and through educators' teaching techniques, the original artworks created by students from Loyola High School and East Valley High School explored and expressed aspects of their identities through collaborative creative practice, capturing a significant experience in their own life or in the life of a close friend or family member.
Through this process, the students honored memory and built community with one another as they explored aspects of identity, culminating in an exhibition of student artwork at the Skirball. “The most memorable part of this project was when we all got together and saw our finished pieces. I think at that moment we all really got to know another part of someone that we maybe didn't already know. I liked that every piece was distinct and told its own story” said 11th grader Declan. And for 12th grader Adrian Martinez, the opportunity proved once-in-a-lifetime: “Seeing something you made at such a prestigious place is really eye opening.”
Visit the Visions and Values School Residency Program webpage to view the student artwork and a video about their creative process.