Author: Monica

Children can create art – as well as learn the meaning of specific art pieces at the Whitney – via Open Studio From Home.

The Whitney’s series of free weekly online art classes has participants using at-home art materials, and learning about the artist’s intent, with Whitney Educators.

This Saturday (November 21st), “Color Dot Paintings Inspired by Liza Lou“ looks closely at “Kitchen” – a life-sized kitchen, covered entirely in glass beads, that took 5 years to make, and over thirty million tiny glass beads.

Children will learn “how Lou created this spectacular space bead by bead. Then, we will make our own paintings inspired by our favorite foods!”

The kitchen is meant to represent the painstaking – and sometimes tedious – work of women.

“I really wanted to make it clear that this was a work about ignored women—that I was making a monument to women“. —Liza Lou, on her mammoth installation Kitchen.

“Made over the course of five years, Kitchen (1991–1996) presents a full-scale, exactingly detailed room encrusted in a rainbow of glistening glass beads. Through boxes of breakfast cereal, the poetry of Emily Dickinson, and everyday objects of kitchen drudgery, Lou created a glittery pop vision of suburban happiness to explore the complex role women have played in modern American life.”

Saturday, December 5th: “Gratitude Sculptures Inspired by Pepón Osorio”

“Pepón Osorio used found materials to create this sculpture that honors a shoe shiner in his neighborhood named Angel. The artist built a kind of throne in Angel’s honor that celebrates both Angel’s life and a profession that often goes unrecognized.”

In this workshop, “we will think about the people in our lives who might not be celebrated enough—like your teacher from school, a bus driver, a letter carrier, or other essential workers. Then, we will create our own sculptures to express our gratitude!”

Saturday, December 12th: “Powerful Clay Charms Inspired by Simone Leigh“

 

“Simone Leigh draws from a variety of sources—including the art of ancient Egypt, traditional West African adobe structures, American domestic architecture, and craft—to explore ideas about the Black female body, race, beauty, and community. Her sculptures suggest the presence of figures—powerful Black women crowned by Afros.”

Then children make clay from supplies in their kitchens to “sculpt a powerful, wearable charm that celebrates a strong woman in your life”.

(There’s an audio guide to the piece for kids here.)

All workshops begin at 11am.

Explore all Whitney online programming on their site.