Annual Exhibition of Artwork by New York City Public School Students On View at the Guggenheim Museum

Exhibition: A Year with Children 2013
Venue: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Avenue, New York
Location: Annex Level 3
Dates: May 3–June 19, 2013


(NEW YORK, NY – – In its 42nd year, Learning Through Art (LTA), the pioneering arts education program of the Guggenheim Museum, presents A Year with Children 2013, an exhibition organized by the Sackler Center for Arts Education at the Guggenheim Museum and on view at the museum from May 3 to June 19, 2013. This annual exhibition showcases select artworks by students in grades two through six from ten public schools who participated in LTA during the 2012–13 school year, representing New York City’s five boroughs. Approximately one hundred creative and imaginative works, including assemblage, collages, drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures, will be on display during this six-week installation.

Program Overview
A Year with Children is an annual exhibition that presents art by students participating in Learning Through Art (LTA). LTA places professional teaching artists in New York City public elementary schools where they collaborate with classroom teachers to develop art projects that teach students art skills and techniques, and explore ideas and themes related to the school curriculum. The program encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and ongoing collaborative investigation. Additionally, LTA immerses students in the artistic process, encouraging them to view themselves as artists. Each student is given a sketchbook and an artist’s apron. Throughout the program, teaching artists model practices and explorations similar to those that they use to spark their own creativity. Students’ investigations are also inspired by the exhibitions they visit at the Guggenheim during the school year. When viewing art, students participate in inquiry-based discussions that encourage careful observation and interpretation.

Learning Through Art was founded in 1970 by Natalie Kovner Lieberman in response to the elimination of art and music programs in New York City public schools. Since its inception, Learning Through Art has served nearly 150,000 children and their families, primarily in New York City public schools.

2012–13 School Year
Approximately 1,449 second- through sixth-grade students at 10 public schools participated in 20-week projects led by 13 Learning Through Art teaching artists, who reached 56 classes during the 2012–13 school year. The participating schools are: in Manhattan, PS 28 (Washington Heights) and PS 42 (Chinatown); in the Bronx, PS 86 (Kingsbridge); in Staten Island, PS 48 (Grasmere); in Queens, PS 88 (Ridgewood), PS 144 (Forest Hills), and PS 151 (Woodside); and, in Brooklyn, PS 8 (Brooklyn Heights), PS 9 (Prospect Heights), and PS 676 (Red Hook).

Exhibition Overview
In the LTA program, students investigated local and world communities, history, nature, change, and identity. While engaged with these themes, students explored a variety of materials. The works on view in A Year with Children 2013 include assemblage, collages, drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures. Handmade clothes created by students at PS 42 in Chinatown will hang in Cafe 3, as well as a series of flags made by the students from PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights. Also on view will be a short animation of how sixth graders at the Bronx’s PS 86 transformed their landscape paintings over time.

A Year with Children 2013 is organized by the Learning Through Art staff: Greer Kudon, Senior Education Manager; Alyson Luck, Associate Manager; and Lindsay Smilow, Associate Manager.

A third-grade teacher at PS 8 said, “The Guggenheim LTA program allows students to express themselves on their terms, where there is no right or wrong. It truly allows for students to actively engage in learning with freedom, creativity, and imagination. The depth and level of inquiry that goes on within the classroom as well as during the visits to the Guggenheim Museum is astounding. As a classroom teacher of students with multiple learning needs and styles, I find that LTA creates a foundation and an alternative path to access curriculum.”

Selected Highlights

PS 151, Queens, Third grade
Teaching artist: Antonia Perez
With a focus on global communication, PS 151 students are regularly engaged in thinking about the world around them. Students explored the concept of community by discussing what they see in their neighborhood and how people influence their surroundings. For their final artworks, students collaborated in groups to make wood constructions inspired by the theme of community.

PS 676, Brooklyn, Third and Fourth grades
Teaching artist: Jeff Hopkins
As a component to their science curriculum, students created layered collages that represent how they interact with other living things in the environment. Using handmade and textured paper as a base, the collages include natural elements such as leaves and sticks, prints of objects and patterns found in nature, a self-portrait drawing, and writing.

PS 42, Manhattan, Fifth grade
Teaching artist: Jen Cecere
This year, fifth-grade students at PS 42 learned about metaphor in literature and poetry. Demonstrating their understanding of this literary tool, students created visual symbols representing their personal identity. Using Styrofoam plates, students printed their personal metaphors on fabric utilizing traditional block-printing techniques as well as watercolor paint. In groups of four, students used the fabric to create an item of clothing that used their individual metaphors to create new ones.

For more information about Learning Through Art, please visit guggenheim.org/lta.

Related Events for A Year with Children 2013:

Benefit for Learning Through Art and Opening Reception
Thursday, May 2, 6–7:30 pm
Tickets available. $150 each for adults, $75 each for children. This year the Learning Through Art Benefit and Opening Reception will feature a pop-up exhibition in the museum rotunda. There will be approximately forty works of art on view from four residencies. Student docents will be on hand to discuss their work and the work of their peers. Proceeds benefit A Year with Children, the annual exhibition of art at the Guggenheim by New York City public school students, and the Learning Through Art program. For more information, call 212 423 3796 or visit guggenheim.org/ywc2013.

Ongoing Family Programs
Second Sundays
Sundays, May 12 and June 9, 10:30 am–12 pm
The Guggenheim offers these family-oriented tours that incorporate age-appropriate conversations and creative, hands-on gallery activities with opportunities to explore the permanent collection and special exhibitions, including A Year with Children 2013. For families with children ages 5–10. $15 per family, $10 for members, free for Family Members. Space is limited. Registration recommended at guggenheim.org/families.

Just Drop In!
Sundays, 1–4 pm
After viewing A Year with Children 2013, explore highlights of the permanent collection through creative, interactive projects led by museum educators. For families with children ages 3–10. Free with museum admission. No registration necessary. See signage in main lobby for location. More information is available at guggenheim.org/families.


Learning Through Art and A Year with Children 2013 are generously supported by Gail May Engelberg and The Engelberg Foundation, as well as The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation. Support is also provided by The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Additional funding is provided by the Sidney E. Frank Foundation; Guggenheim Partners, LLC; the National Endowment for the Arts; the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; the Gap Foundation; The BRIM Fund; the Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Inc.; and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer.

The Leadership Committee for Learning Through Art and A Year with Children 2013 is gratefully acknowledged for its support.

VISITOR INFORMATION
Admission: Adults $22, students/seniors (65+) $18, members and children under 12 free. Available with admission or downloadable to your own device, the Guggenheim’s new, free interactive app offers an enhanced visitor experience. Explore special exhibitions, access more than 900 works in the Guggenheim’s permanent collection, and learn about the museum’s landmark building. Verbal imaging tours are also included for the visually impaired.

Museum Hours: Sun–Wed, 10 am–5:45 pm; Fri, 10 am–5:45 pm; Sat, 10 am–7:45 pm; closed Thurs. On Saturdays, beginning at 5:45 pm, the museum hosts Pay What You Wish. For general information, call 212 423 3500 or visit the museum online at:

guggenheim.org