Artwork made from draped textiles and wood poles
Eric N. Mack’s “Palm” (2015). (Courtesy the artist and Morán Morán)

Try These Energizing Art Lessons from the Studio Museum of Harlem

By Aileen Kwun
August 15, 2020
1 minute read

School’s out forever—or at least for the immediate future, depending on what city you live in—and it’s certainly taking a toll on parents as they attempt to balance work, life, and remote home-schooling through a pandemic. Not all online education is bleak: Many institutions and organizations have stepped up with creative lesson plans to help families battle the restlessness of a summer spent cooped up indoors. The Studio Museum of Harlem, for one, has created a series of hands-on lesson plans, open-sourced and free to download, that are inspired by artists and objects from its permanent collection. “Fashioning Self,” a lesson on the sculptural paintings by Eric N. Mack, for example, instructs students to experiment with abstraction and assemblage using fabric, paint, and found materials, while “On My Street” examines painter Jordan Casteel’s intimate portraits of Harlem locals as a jumping-off point to exploring themes of home, community, and identity. There are 18 art lessons offered, in all, featuring works by Glenn Ligon, Derrick Adams, Elizabeth Catlett, and others, with an all-ages appeal that will likely leave you enjoying some extra homework.