My Family by third-graders Veronica Barron & Mekatilili Ndungi from Central Park East II - Photos by Bernadette McCrann

By Jennifer Lima and Bernadette McCrann

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the P.S. Art 2012 exhibit is being displayed in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education in the Metropolitan Museum of Art from June 12 to August 11.

Over the past decade, P.S. Art strove to foster children’s creativity in the arts. Its goal is to help city children throughout the five boroughs reach their highest potential as artists of the future. The Met, who is dedicated to providing inspiration and acknowledgement of all ages, is presenting P.S. Art for the fifth year.

            Out of about 750 entries, the P.S. Art Selection Panel chose only 76 pieces to be displayed in the Met. Among other criteria, the works were judged on their creativity and the skill level of the artists’ respective grade and age. Every piece was created by a child in the New York City public school system from kindergarten to twelfth grade. All five boroughs and an assortment of schools were represented in the exhibit. The pieces are in a variety of techniques and mediums as well as different subject matter. From a graphite self-portrait to a socially-themed sculpture, an abundance of creativity, talent, and inspiration is evident throughout the exhibition. Each work is framed and mounted with an accompanying description of the piece, the artist, his or her grade, school, art teacher, and materials used. This past June 12th on Museum Mile Day, the selected elementary-, middle-, and high-school students got the chance to view their artwork on and enjoy a celebration in honor of their artistic achievement.

            This exhibition not only showcases and rewards students for their exemplary work, but it also exemplifies the worth and impact of art in the lives of students. P.S. Art is especially important for kids today where funding for the arts in public schools is scarce. Many of the participating students described art as their emotional outlet and a means to express themselves. The meticulous process each child went through to create his or her artwork, from the initial planning with his or her art teacher to the eventual conception and creation or the work, instilled in the students the principles of critical thinking and decision making as well as communication skills. Each child’s work had been handled with the utmost care and delicacy and was treated in the same manner as the artwork of great artists such as Picasso, da Vinci, or El Greco. The students gained a sense of pride, confidence, and accomplishment as they were given this unforgettable experience of having their work displayed alongside some of the world’s greatest masterpieces in a world-renown venue. Coordinators of the exhibit also gained a sense of pride from the exhibit. By instituting P.S. Art, coordinators provided kids with an outlet for their imaginations and expressions and helped kids to develop their observational, communicative, and intellectual skills.

The P.S. Art exhibition was made possible by The New York City Department of Education and The Fund for Public Schools. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is acknowledged for their generosity in mounting, hosting, and selecting works for the P.S. Art exhibit. Credit also goes to the Selecting Panel for the exhibit, Studio in a School, who provided every selected middle- and high- school student  with weekend and vacation courses and scholarships to each senior, and Bank of America for supporting the exhibit.

Caption of sculpture from summary: Women's Rights by Anastasia Ostapenko, 12th grader  from Edward R. Murrow High School