Courtesy of Painting for Peace in Ferguson
After a grand jury voted not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson for shooting 18-year-old Michael Brown, protestors took to the streets. Many engaged in peaceful protests, but a few resorted to looting, leaving businesses damaged or decimated. Targeted businesses and businesses worried about being targeted in the future responded by boarding up windows and doorways.
Artists and volunteers quickly assembled to paint the boards, turning the bleak spaces into harbingers of hope. The murals were filled with images that encouraged positivity, progress, and peace. The effort inspired a children's picture book, as well as the upcoming exhibition Outside In: Paint for Peace, organized by Center of Creative Arts (COCA).
A collection of the murals produced in 2014 will be on display at COCA's Millstone Gallery and other local venues beginning this Thursday, August 25. Though the history behind the exhibit can be difficult to discuss with young people, guest curator Jacquelyn Lewis-Harris says the murals offer parents, caregivers, and educators opportunities to explore tough topics through the healing power of art.
“There are lots and lots of little symbols that kids could see that adults might overlook, so it could almost be a treasure hunt,” says Lewis-Harris, who's also the director of the Department of Human Origin and Cultural Diversity at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. The murals feature such images as doves, peace signs, and a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Letting kids guide the interpretation is a good way to keep discussions age-appropriate, says Lewis-Harris, who also thinks kids will enjoy the colors and details, such as small hand prints and foot prints—evidence that children were part of the mural-making process. But adults might also be surprised at children’s level of sophistication and understanding of the murals’ use of symbolism.
“They are all keys for conversation,” says Lewis-Harris. “A lot of times, children have these concepts in the back of their minds, but adults don’t necessarily give them time to get their thoughts out.”
The murals also show there’s more than one method of self-expression. Lewis-Harris suggests giving kids art supplies to create their own murals on sturdy craft paper or the inside of a cut-open grocery bag.
“Ask them what they would draw that would inspire people to do good things,” she says.
Murals will be on display from August 27 through October 30 at Millstone Gallery; dates vary at other venues. For more information, including an extensive list of resources for educators and families, visit COCA's website.
Charlene Oldham is a freelance writer and Teach For America alumna who has taught middle school, high school, college, and adult education classes in the St. Louis area.
