North Hollywood High School’s Photography class is holding their annual exhibition on May 28th, the day after Memorial Day. However, new arrangements have been made.
It’s an opportunity for students to showcase what they’re most proud of from the year, with an outdoors gallery located in the Agricultural Garden area. The culminating event serves as an outlet for the successful art production across the school year, including different creative directions each student took with the same project guidelines.
The overall look of the show is still in the planning process. With such a versatile setting, Hollis Jordan, the sole photography teacher of NHHS, has decided to open up this opportunity for other art classes to participate.
“I love it, I think it’s great,” Jordan said, expressing her thoughts on the project. “I am very happy about all of the departments being united. We should present and have everyone see what we’re doing here, not just photography.”
In previous iterations, the exhibition was strictly displaying photographs taken by the students. With the addition of new media, stress over the thematic direction has taken some place of the overall excitement.
“The main challenge is to make everything cohesive, to have a good flow. That’s where the planning comes in,” added Jordan.
Fortunately, with new inclusions comes some extra help.
Jill Gower, a recent addition to the staff of art teachers at NHHS, is extending this opportunity to her painting students. The show will include their most recent art project, centered around a variety of social issues. The curation process has been left entirely up to the students, and Gower and her class have a hand in the features of the show.
“This project is called ‘Art in Activism,’” Gower explained. “[The students] pick a specific social issue that they feel strongly about, and they make an artwork that brings attention to whatever the issue is. A big component of this is where it lives in the world, so having the chance for the school to see the artwork is really important.”
From racial issues, to mental health, and even consumerism, the variety of work contains personal views and opinions of students at the forefront. With every bit of expression being left in their hands, Gower felt that it should be taken a step further.
“I’m asking the students to choose where their work sits in the space, because it’s an important part of it,” she responded. “If you make a piece about pollution, for example, then having it in a specific area of the AG is important to its message. Even protest signs, their messages are activated due to the public showing.”
Within a gallery, the layout of all the work being displayed is a difficult task to get right. Once it’s finalized, Gower believes that the payoff will be crucial for the artists.
“This is a chance for my students to understand the importance of installation, because it’s as important as anything else I teach,” she began. “There’s work that goes into it, and there’s lessons to get out of it. The opportunity to be seen is something very special.”
She also shared that students had the ability to opt out if they wished to, for the opportunity is one that can only be encouraged. However, the universal dream to showcase a piece of art is something artists of all ages struggle to gain access to. For Gower’s painting students, their work particularly yearns for a reaction to their message.
“‘Activation.’ That’s the word. Having work shown like this, it’s only activated if people see it,” Gower stated.
The exhibition lasts all day, all periods, and everyone at school is promised a chance to visit. Come to the AG to support NHHS artists and see the multimedia showcase!
