Art Imitates Life, Life Imitates Ads

As the country re-examines its relationship with “monuments,” with history, with art and public space, we, as educators, must examine our roles as curators of art analysis in our classrooms. Contemporary art interacts with society in ways that are both reactive and predictive. In this workshop we will use the art of Hank Willis Thomas and other contemporary artists as a source for our own writing, uncovering the poetry, narratives, and essays that live in their artistry. To examine work like Thomas’s and others’ is to recognize the relationship between art and life, moments and monuments, two sides of the same mirror always chasing each other’s reflection.

Jayme Causey teaches language arts at Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon. He is an Oregon Writing Project coach.

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