EVERYTHING
According to Pratt Institute, the annual exhibition provided a platform for students from various courses at Design Works High School to showcase their creative output. The event featured projects ranging from architectural models exploring modular design to graphic posters addressing urgent political topics.
Exploring Sustainable and Architectural Concepts
The architecture class presented Architecture Models projects that highlighted student exploration into sustainable and modular building concepts, alongside landscape architecture designs. Meanwhile, the Design Lab focused on environmental awareness through its Newspaper Fashion pieces. Inspired by the growing impact of fast fashion, students created wearable garments primarily using recycled newspaper and reused materials to promote a slower clothing production cycle.
In 3D Design, students developed complex projects that required precise technical skill. These included creating whimsical characters for Wearable Cardboard Sculptures, utilizing techniques such as scoring and layering solely from cardboard. Additionally, the group produced Stop Motion Animation projects, allowing them to conceive and build detailed imaginary worlds using wire armature and fabric.
Art Addressing Social Justice and Neuroscience
The Art and Social Justice courses featured several powerful thematic works. One notable project was The Lens of Immigration, a series of graphic design posters developed during a 10-day workshop with the Center for Urban Pedagog. These pieces explored how news imagery shapes public understanding of immigration and ICE within NYC.
- Community Weaving Project: Ninth grade students created a collaborative over-under weave using collected textiles and unusual materials, symbolizing school community cooperation.
- Extreme Color Portraits: Inspired by artist Bisa Butler, these portraits focused on face proportion techniques while addressing significant social issues.
- Neurograph Paintings: Students employed a meditative process to draw intersecting lines resembling neurons in the brain, subsequently filling the spaces with watercolor washes and crayon-resist techniques.
The AP 2D Art students also developed diverse bodies of work that explored personal interests, including topics such as representing animal textures using unconventional materials and expressing suppressed emotions.
Ultimately, the exhibition served not only as a display of technical proficiency but also as a demonstration of how Design Works High School applies design thinking to build a more equitable world. The students successfully collaborated, critiqued, defended, and revised their work throughout these complex challenges, culminating in a powerful showcase of creative problem-solving.