Artistic works by six high school students from Oak Cliff and Lake Highlands will be on display starting this week.
The pieces were created during the Remote Summer Art Workshop, led by Chicago-based artist Jan Tichy, in collaboration with Lake Highlands High School teacher Maria Viera-Williams and Moisés E. Molina High School teacher Laura Quintero-Chavez.
Each of the six students, three from each neighborhood, made artwork inspired by their or their family’s migration to the U.S., and specifically to Dallas.
The work was created in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to remove Texas from the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program.
Josefat Delgado, who lives in Oak Cliff, designed five panel cutouts titled “La Familia.” The cutouts detail the stories of his family members, particularly relating to their journeys from Mexico. The plan for the art is to eventually become a permanent exhibit on the Chalk Hill Trail.
Sumaya Sakhi, a Lake Highlands student born in Pakistan, created a poster titled “Look Up.” The drawings are inspired by henna and reflect Sakhi’s belief in the power of religion to overcome challenges, such as the ones Sakhi endured while growing up in Pakistan.
The students’ work will be displayed at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center for six weeks, beginning Jan. 23. In addition, Remote Pyramids, a part of the Aurora Biennial 2020-21, will be projected on Dallas City Hall the night of Jan. 23.
In addition to the art pieces, the students created a series of questions revolving around the topics of poverty, policing, environment and heritage.
Click on the students below to find more information about them and their work.
Molina High School:
Lake Highlands High School: