In the first chapter of the brilliant book Orbiting the Giant Hairball, varying ages of school children are asked to raise their hands if they’re artists. All of the first graders raise their hands, half of the second graders do, and then a third of the third graders. The older we get, the more self-conscious we become — but we all possess creative spirit, and many of us have an inherent ability to promote compassion. I was reminded of that yesterday during the opening reception of Poetry in Motion at the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Carnegie Gallery.
The pieces in this collection were made by Columbus youth aged 5-21 in the Art in the House and TRANSIT ARTS out-of-school programs. They were inspired by poems from the Poetry Society of America’s Poetry in Motion project, with guiding civil rights themes of Rosa Parks and the “Power of One.” The free exhibition, which was curated by Stephanie Rond, marks a collaboration between the library, GCAC, and COTA. Reproductions of some of the artwork will be installed on 300 COTA buses starting this month. Poetry in Motion will be on display through March 27. Click here for more photos.
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