Young Artists Curate Exhibition

For Aldrich Museum

RIDGEFIELD — The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art announces the opening of “Play,” an exhibition of work by junior and senior high school students which will be on view from April 6 through May 14 in the museum’s Erna D.  Leir Gallery. For the first time ever, Art Lab students have curated artwork created by other high school students in addition to creating and exhibiting their own work.

The exhibition theme, Play, is a universal concept that takes many directions as seen through the work of these young artists. Some works embody the fun and exuberant spirit of play, while others take a serious look at how play changes with circumstance and time.

The concept is explored through painting, sculpture, video, photography, drawing and mixed media installations. Students have also organized concerts and other special events to explore how play can take shape as a theme in the performing arts.

Art Lab, whose members created the concept of “Play,” involves 17 juniors and seniors from high schools in Ridgefield, Brookfield, Danbury, Fairfield, New Canaan, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, and Wilton.

The students have been working work with Nina Carlson, director of education at the Aldrich Museum, to learn about and understand the inner workings of the contemporary art world. In addition to taking field trips to studios and galleries in New York City, students have met and worked with artists including Jimmy Grashow, Carl Ostendarp, Thad Simerly, Kimberly Hart, Mark Dion, Karl Maruyama, John F. Simon, Jr., Wayne Gonzalez, Tom Sachs. Yuken Teruya and Claire Corey.

Using the experience gained by working with these artists, the students developed the idea of “Play” and set to work organizing the exhibition. In addition to the concept, they were responsible for the press release, invitation, educational materials, and the collecting, curating, creating and installing of the artwork.

The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art is at 258 Main Street/Route 25 in Ridgefield. Regular museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 5 pm. Call 203-438-4519 or visit www.AldrichArt.org for additional information.