Students with a shared passion for art are coming together to change how visual art is experienced at Haverford. Their goal is not only to showcase artwork, but to understand the professional process behind it. A newly formed Student Art Committee is stepping in to re-energize the art scene within the Haverford community.
The purpose of this group is to allow the school to host more art exhibitions and expand the presence of visual art around campus. There are five different positions and sixteen boys in this art committee: curator, art handlers/installers, graphic designer, marketing and communications, and photographer. Its members collaborate to both create new art exhibitions and support preexisting events, such as Artsfest.
After outlining the committee’s purpose, Art, Design, and New Media Chair Ms. Aki Torii explained the educational goals behind the group, saying, “We want to educate the boys in the committee more about how to host art exhibitions and how to do it professionally, which is a skill that may be useful for them to know later in life.”
The roles within the committee reflect the positions that art galleries around the world depend on, making this an especially valuable learning opportunity. Furthermore, each role plays an equally important part in the success of an exhibition.
“In order for an art gallery to be successful, you need every single one of these jobs, so no job is more important than another,” Ms. Torii said. “In addition, I strongly think that teamwork and collaboration is one of the most important skills in order for this committee to create a successful exhibition.”
In the classroom, students often learn about the historical aspects of art, which can feel distant from contemporary art. Art history is often taught through slide shows, limiting students’ interactions with physical works. The Student Art Committee aims to bridge that gap by giving students hands-on experience with real pieces of art and guiding them through the process of displaying them. Through this, students will also gain a deeper understanding of how a gallery functions behind the scenes.
“This is truly an invaluable experience for the boys. I think they will benefit a lot from talking to professionals and learning about what goes into a successful art gallery.” – Ms. Aki Torii
The committee is already planning its first visit: a tour of Atelier Fine Art Services in Philadelphia, a specialized art services company that helps museums, galleries, private art collectors, and cultural institutions manage, move, and install valuable artworks. During the visit, the boys will explore the company’s storage space and speak with an art handler about how artwork is professionally installed.
Ms. Torii said, “This is truly an invaluable experience for the boys. I think they will benefit a lot from talking to professionals and learning about what goes into a successful art gallery.”
Marketing and communications is a particularly crucial role within the committee, as it focuses on promoting student artwork and exhibitions. By doing so, more members of the community, including those who don’t take art, will become aware of what is happening in the arts. No activity credit is attached to being a part of the committee, meaning that every member of the committee is genuinely interested in art and passionate about showcasing it.
Ms. Torii reflected on the enthusiasm students showed during the application process.
“All of the students that applied to the committee had to go through an interview process, and they all felt that there wasn’t enough art to be seen around the school. These students are extremely excited to begin working and put on a successful art exhibition.”
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