Convergence Exhibition 2020
Each year, we look forward to our annual Convergence exhibition that features the visual, digital, and performing arts created by students across Chicago. Due to Covid-19, our Convergence 2020 is a virtual exhibition. The projects are from the 2019-2020 school year which features a total of 40 student projects from across 24 Chicago Public Schools, which were completed during the pandemic.
A drawing from a CAPE student at Ravenswood Elementary featured in the virtual Convergence 2020 exhibition.
Once on the site, you are able to explore the successes and challenges that our students, teachers, and teaching artists faced as they navigated the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A drawing from a CAPE student at Ravenswood Elementary featured in the virtual Convergence 2o20 exhibition.
This year’s Convergence exhibition featured work from classrooms at Newton Elementary, Daniel Boone Elementary, Lyman A. Budlong Elementary School, Mavin Camras Children’s Engineering School, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, Durkin Park Elementary, Fort Dearborn Elementary School, Galileo Scholastic Academy of Math and Science, William C. Goudy Technology Academy, Alex Haley Academy, Patrick Henry Elementary School, Lake View High School, John B. Murphy Elementary, New Sullivan Fina and Performing Arts Magnet Cluster School, North-Grand High School, Louis Pasteur Elementary School, Ravenswood Elementary, Ray Graham Training Center High School, Southside Occupational Academy, STEM Magnet Academy, Doughlas Taylor Elementary School, Telpochcalli Elementary, Jacqueline B. Vaughn Occupational High School, and Daniel Hale Williams Preparatory School of Medicine.
Keep reading below for a sneak peek at one Convergence project. Check out how a 5th-grade classroom at Daniel Boone Elementary School explored how self-awareness affects our desires by taking a look at snakes and our perceptions of them. And be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom on what you can do to join us for a guided tour!
You can check out the virtual experience at our capeconvergence.com site.
Teaching in a Pandemic
Patterning Self-Awareness: Our Snake Skins
Last year, as students shifted from in-person learning to the virtual classroom, teacher Gustavo Soto’s 5th-grade classroom at Daniel Boone Elementary School explored snakes and our perceptions of them. As students reflected on how they have personally been misrepresented or misunderstood by others- and vice versa- they learned about the principles of design to create a symbolic language using basic lines and patterns. With these ideas in mind, the students were asked to consider something they wanted to shed like snakes shed skin, and what it is they wanted to focus on and communicate forward with a new skin.
A still image from Gwen’s series of instructional videos, recorded and distributed to students early in the pandemic.
Early in the pandemic, we were unsure if our teaching artists would be able to join CPS virtual classrooms, so CAPE teaching artist Gwen Terry made a series of videos for students to watch on a weekly basis. Gwen also shared some videos about snake facts and myths and posed questions to encourage students to think more about snakes and themselves.
Students share their progress during a virtual class meeting.
One student named Sukaina shared the following reflection from this project:
“I started by working on my positive stuff which is this mask that is going to show brave, strong, and caring. We are going to show all this by using lines. This long sheet of transparent paper shows the negative stuff about me and the lines show my anxiety, anger, and fear. This project has been different than any other projects we have ever done because I can relate to it and it’s not stressful at all. It’s fun because we get to express ourselves and let go of all our baggage.”
You can check out the full Boone Elementary virtual exhibition here.
Convergence E-Tours: Now Booking!
A drawing from a CAPE student at Ravenswood Elementary featured in the virtual Convergence exhibition.
You can explore the full 40 student projects on your own or you can join us for a guided tour!
We’d love to welcome you and a group of your friends or colleagues for a quick tour of the show, including appearances by CAPE teachers and teaching artists who can further describe what their students accomplished just before and during the pandemic.
Contact yuliana@capechicago.org for details!
Before you go! Take a look at our Convergence 2019 in Review.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
