First Week at the Museum of Latin American Art
First Week at the Museum of Latin American Art
by Alexis Cruz
by Alexis Cruz
After only a week as an intern at the Museum of Latin American Art, I have rediscovered the importance of art in the creative development of the youth. As I embarked on my internship with very few details on what my job description entailed, I was given numerous tasks that had me on my feet and which gave life to my creative side which I had long forgotten.
My first week consisted of preparation for the first week of MOLAA's Summer Art Camp. During this time I had to prepare the art classroom for the campers to ensure everything was organized by the time they got there. Soon after,I commenced my week as a summer art counselor where I was blown away by the insightful comments children as young as 9 years old provided. Each day of the week long art camp began with a tour of an art gallery where certain themes were explored and discussed, all of which shared a connection to the art pieces the campers created throughout the day.The instructor of the 9-12 year old group, Ismael de Anda III, was enthusiastic and engaging as he led the daily tour of the art gallery while creating thought provoking conversations amongst both campers and counselors.
I've never considered myself much of an artsy person or a fan of art galleries. I was always one to zoom past galleries and not one to take the time to observe and reflect. This soon changed upon working at MOLAA as I had to observe art pieces and begin a dialogue amongst children in our daily discussions. I was astonished by the global awareness of many children who were able to link art pieces to contemporary global problems. For example, upon touring the Exploratorio gallery by Cristian Castro we observed an art piece of what appeared to be robotic fish made of remains of cars. I paid attention to the details and materials without giving much thought to the significance and context behind this piece. Soon after, a 9 year old camper explained how the robotic nature of fish could have signified the technological innovations which have made immense mankind advancements all while harming our own environment and biodiversity.The fish were not just mere scraps of used cars, they were more than that. They conveyed a message of a shift in technological advancements and their impact on our wildlife. It was thanks to the comments of the 9 year old girl that for the first time in my life I found the importance of art in the conveyance of our story as humans. Learning does not limit itself to the classroom, it is through our experiences and connections that we can learn even without the use of a textbook. And art does exactly just that, it creates connections and evokes feelings that serve as catalysts to the transmission of an even greater message about human nature and society as a whole.
My first week consisted of preparation for the first week of MOLAA's Summer Art Camp. During this time I had to prepare the art classroom for the campers to ensure everything was organized by the time they got there. Soon after,I commenced my week as a summer art counselor where I was blown away by the insightful comments children as young as 9 years old provided. Each day of the week long art camp began with a tour of an art gallery where certain themes were explored and discussed, all of which shared a connection to the art pieces the campers created throughout the day.The instructor of the 9-12 year old group, Ismael de Anda III, was enthusiastic and engaging as he led the daily tour of the art gallery while creating thought provoking conversations amongst both campers and counselors.
I've never considered myself much of an artsy person or a fan of art galleries. I was always one to zoom past galleries and not one to take the time to observe and reflect. This soon changed upon working at MOLAA as I had to observe art pieces and begin a dialogue amongst children in our daily discussions. I was astonished by the global awareness of many children who were able to link art pieces to contemporary global problems. For example, upon touring the Exploratorio gallery by Cristian Castro we observed an art piece of what appeared to be robotic fish made of remains of cars. I paid attention to the details and materials without giving much thought to the significance and context behind this piece. Soon after, a 9 year old camper explained how the robotic nature of fish could have signified the technological innovations which have made immense mankind advancements all while harming our own environment and biodiversity.The fish were not just mere scraps of used cars, they were more than that. They conveyed a message of a shift in technological advancements and their impact on our wildlife. It was thanks to the comments of the 9 year old girl that for the first time in my life I found the importance of art in the conveyance of our story as humans. Learning does not limit itself to the classroom, it is through our experiences and connections that we can learn even without the use of a textbook. And art does exactly just that, it creates connections and evokes feelings that serve as catalysts to the transmission of an even greater message about human nature and society as a whole.
After a long week as an art camp counselor, I came to realize the importance of youth programs that introduce children to the wonders of art through observation and creativity. I never had the opportunity to participate in camps like these while growing up but I now sure wish I did. I have lived vicariously through these children this past week where I got to use glitter glue for the first time in my life all while enjoying the pleasures that come with the creation of something new.
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