Joseph Eduardo Iacona

Represent

Reflecting inwards to resonate outwards, middle school students Harambee Institute of Science & Technology in Overbrook explore the West African history of Adinkra symbols and weave their own personal history into a collaborative narrative. 

This project was completed with funding through the Delphi Art Partners, an Artist-in-Residence program by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  The program pairs artists with middle schools for a collaborative project.  

  Students at the Haramabee Institute for Science & Technology studied portraiture throughout the Philadelphia Museum of Art including works from the publication "REPRESENT: 200 Years of African American Art".  

  Participants explored self-portraits, thinking about identity, and including symbols in their images from the Adinkra (Adinkra: visual language using symbols native to West Africa).  They also examined Gee's Bend quilts focusing on patterns and created block print designs.  

  These projects inspired a Youth Designed Mural to Represent the cultural heritage of African Americans in the student body and the importance of their roots as they grow.  The mural was painted with students during the 10 week artist-residency and installed within the school gymnasium.