When you haven't been to a museum in a long time, I had to ask myself how I could adjust and find a way to connect with the different art in the museum.
During the first week of the summer work program, I asked myself that question a lot and started to love and dive into African Art.
African Art inspired me to learn more deeply about my culture, and how the art is made now, then how it was made years ago is really what caught my eye—the details on the sculptures and how some of the sculptures have meaning behind them.
KAM-WAM (Krannert Art Museum - Week at the Museum)
The African exhibits reminded me of coming to the museum when I was younger to do KAM-WAM. And we made the masks to show how much that section stood out to me.
KAM-WAM is a program for elementary kids and middle school students to come take a day or a week to spend at the museum.
During the week you get to do fun activities that have to do with the sculptures, paintings, and many more. You can even have a show towards the end of the week like I did with my art teacher, or just create what you learned within that whole week and put your favorite part or all of it together.
I remember when I came to do my week in elementary school, I was in the 5 grade. My favorite part was learning about the exhibits and getting to make the African mask and doing a show where we danced with the mask.
KAM-WAM was an amazing way to give ideas to kids but not only that, a way to learn about where these exhibits come from and do a lot of research from that period. I think that's what stood out to me more and what can help kids learn more by coming to the museum.
Summer Youth Employment Program at KAM
The work that I have learned and taking the time to describe the pieces in the museum and take pictures of the museum has been the coolest part so far.
It not only gives me a chance but it also gives somebody else the chance to see and feel the same artwork as I am seeing if they were in the museum. It also gives them a chance to come in and see the work for themselves.
Some things that I have learned I think will help me in the future as I go into a major this fall. Knowing that I will be in my freshman year of college majoring in business administration gives me an idea of what type of business I want to go into, not knowing what I want to do with my career yet.
Learning the things that I am learning in this program gives me a good idea of how I would want to start my business, what all would I want to include, and how what I'm learning will help me this Fall in going to an HBCU. I can share my experience and maybe find my career in the next four years.
