Featured Image by Ellie Heywood, Concord Carlisle High School

ABBOTT GALLERY

C-art is a collaboration between Concord Art Association and Concord-Carlisle High School, Concord Academy and Middlesex School.

“Look Me in the Eye: Perception and Identity in the Screen Age,” opening April 9, is an exhibition curated by a small group of high school students from Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS), Concord Academy (CA) and Middlesex School participating in C-art’s inaugural curatorial seminar course, “The Curator as Artist, the Artist as Curator,” led by museum educator, Susan Foster.

This winter, nine student curators worked with museum curators, educators, and artists to learn all facets of curating an art exhibition. The culmination of the seminar is the exhibition, “Look Me in the Eye: Perception and Identity in the Screen Age” In developing the show students began with the theme of identity, developed a concept, selected work for inclusion, designed the installation, and explored opportunities for community engagement.

“Look Me in the Eye: Perception and Identity in the Screen Age” explores the relationship between perception and identity, in a world where personal interactions are mediated through a screen, personae are curated for unknown audiences, and direct eye contact can be avoided. The exhibit is a collaborative piece created by a group of 45+ students and professional artists exploring the theme of identity and perception, and organized to express the gradual unveiling of self from initial perception through outward appearance and inward significance and perhaps back to initial perception. Can identity be seen? Where does it lie in the screen age?