School, friends of the public Enter stressful, I know to run I like to play games Strong connec on, energe c Play around school We are determined animals We are energe c dinosaurs Enter young Some mes with backpacks Anime, baseball, or something Because anything’s possible I like I like I like to read My mom, my dad are great sources Very nice A moment individual Energe c, new, ar s c, open minded Intelligent Hangout I know I have A lot of pockets in unique places
n Cultural Prac
oner & Ar st Nathaniel Donne conducted a backpack exchange with
s in selected loca ons in Berkshire County. The par cipa ng schools were Massachuse s of Liberal Arts, Berkshire Arts and Tech Charter Public School, and
bble School. During a spring residency sponsored by MCLA’s Arts & Culture program and a
r residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the ar st transformed the student’s
kpacks into 2-D, mixed-media abstract wall works and a sound sculpture. Donne
raphed each student in the style of images made for school yearbooks and asked the students
ues ons to access memory and to reflect. The student’s answers became an experimental
hat produced the sound of the sculpture. The experimental poetry and photographs,
de Berkshire County’s history and representa ons of various areas of Berkshire geography,
ublished as a yearbook gi ed to MCLA’s archive, Pine Cobble School, and BART’s libraries as a
te of what a yearbook could look like through imagina on and community engagement. presented final works created from the backpacks at Gallery 51 in North Adams,
huse s, in an exhibi on tled “To Know A Veil.”
ckpack exchange and ques ons took approximately 10- 15 minutes or less in a public loca on
h school’s campus. The ar st and his team were Covid – vaccinated and boostered, wore KN95
and kept a safe distance from each student.
the Ar st: Donne is a graduate of the Yale University School of Art graduate school. Donne
pient of the 2022 John Guggenheim Fellowship, the 2020 Art and Social Jus ce Ini a ve Grant
le University, the 2017 Houston Arts Alliance Individual Ar st Grant, a 2015 Idea Fund/Andy Founda on Grant, and a 2014 Harpo Grant. Donne has exhibited at the Museum of
mporary Art Denver, Denver, CO; the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, VA; the Menello
m, Orlando, FL; the University Museum, Houston, TX; the Ma atuck Museum, Waterbury, CT;
mporary Arts Museum of Houston, TX and the New Museum, New York, NY, amongst others.
Houston Cultural Prac
oner & Ar st Nathaniel Donne conducted a backpack exchange with
students in selected loca ons in Berkshire County. The par cipa ng schools were Massachuse s College of Liberal Arts, Berkshire Arts and Tech Charter Public School, and Pine Cobble School. During a spring residency sponsored by MCLA’s Arts & Culture program and a summer residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the ar st transformed the student’s old backpacks into 2-D, mixed-media abstract wall works and a sound sculpture. Donne photographed each student in the style of images made for school yearbooks and asked the students quick ques ons to access memory and to reflect. The student’s answers became an experimental poem that produced the sound of the sculpture. The experimental poetry and photographs, alongside Berkshire County’s history and representa ons of various areas of Berkshire geography, were published as a yearbook gi ed to MCLA’s archive, Pine Cobble School, and BART’s libraries as a template of what a yearbook could look like through imagina on and community engagement. Donne presented final works created from the backpacks at Gallery 51 in North Adams, Massachuse s, in an exhibi on tled “To Know A Veil.”
The backpack exchange and ques ons took approximately 10- 15 minutes or less in a public loca on on each school’s campus. The ar st and his team were Covid – vaccinated and boostered, wore KN95 masks, and kept a safe distance from each student.
About the Ar st: Donne is a graduate of the Yale University School of Art graduate school. Donne is a recipient of the 2022 John Guggenheim Fellowship, the 2020 Art and Social Jus ce Ini a ve Grant from Yale University, the 2017 Houston Arts Alliance Individual Ar st Grant, a 2015 Idea Fund/Andy Warhol Founda on Grant, and a 2014 Harpo Grant. Donne has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, CO; the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, VA; the Menello Museum, Orlando, FL; the University Museum, Houston, TX; the Ma atuck Museum, Waterbury, CT; Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston, TX and the New Museum, New York, NY, amongst others.
Pine Cobble School
Charter Public School
Charter Public School
Charter Public School
Arts
bric, tambourine jingles, wood, sound
special thanks to Erica A. Wall - Director of Lunder Ins tute for American Art for invi ng me to imagine such a project and make it happen.
anks to Berkshire County and North Adams, Massachuse s for welcoming me. Thanks to the staff, faculty, and students at Massachuse s College of Liberal Arts Berkshire Arts & Tech Charter, and Pine Cobble School Contributors
Nicholas Rigger - Assistant Director of MCLA Arts & Culture: Gallery 51 Shawne e Smalls - Program Administrator of MCLA Arts & Culture: Gallery 51 Odiase Williamson - Volunteer/ Assistant Paula- Kingsbury Evans - Volunteer Erica Barreto - Educator, Writer Kate Flower - Research and Instruc on Librarian: MCLA Andre Lynch - Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: BART Alana Harte - Assistant Head of School: Pine Cobble Karl Mullen - Art Specialist: Pine Cobble Bilal Ansari - Assistant Vice President for Campus Engagement: Williams College Lisa Arras a - Assistant Professor of Educa on: MCLA Sherwin Rio - Installer Joshua Ross - Fellow residency ar st Conrad Egyir - Fellow residency ar st
Sawer Cellena, Lucas Fitzgibbons, Benjamin Weissner, Lucian Zepka, JT Gaudreau Felix Burrows, Sadie Erickson, Isaac Greenfield, Flint Parker, Charlie Sabot Silas Cellana, Lana DeAngelo, Franes Plunke , Eli Touhey, Sterling Wall Madelyn Gaudreau, Molly Miles – Harris, Zuri Holmes, Marin Locke, Kylie Murphy Dani Toomey, Corin Ma hews, Wilson Plunke , Abbie Tra on, Gideon Wiegers Lola Mullen, Colaizzi, Tilly Mullen Colaizzi, Lydia Gaudreau, Gavin Murphy Lilly Jenkins Berkshire Arts & Tech Charter Public School Anonymous, Levi Miller, Jaivani Castro, Rachel Fleury, Airon Adelt, Terry Lim Julian Medina, Julianna Salinovici, Skyler Hu le, Shasta Racela, Massachuse s College of Liberal Arts Emi Bailey, Janeilah Vazquez Image Credit Nathaniel Donne , Odiase Williamson, Shawne e Smalls, Nicholas Rigger Erica Barreto, Megan Haley, Andre Lynch Addi onal Images provided by MCLA Library Archives