Introduction
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ART 180’s “What Do You Stand For?” features thirty-one eight-foot-tall self-portrait paintings that reveal the vibrant character, dreams, and beliefs of rising public school sixth graders in Richmond, Virginia.
Created over the summer of 2011 by students at Henderson and Boushall middle schools, the portraits show, in beautiful and surprising ways, what these young people feel are the most important things in their lives. The images illuminate how they see themselves, and what they hope the community will see in them.
The project was led by local artists Rob Gibson, Hamilton Glass, Lizzie Gray, Jess Norris, Stanley Rayfield, and Julia Scott, who also created portraits.
The public art exhibition traveled throughout Richmond from 2011 to 2012—First Fridays Art Walk, The Richmond Folk Festival, the General Assembly Building, Monument Avenue, and Byrd Park—and reached more than 350,000 people.
“What Do You Stand For?” will culminate in a 2013 exhibition at ART 180’s new building in Richmond’s Jackson Ward.
Contributor’s Notes
Introduction
Table of Figures
Acknowledgments