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LIBERATION an exhibition by young artists

Young people’s voices should be included in conversations about making their neighborhoods and schools safe, supportive spaces where they can thrive. Their perspectives on fairness, safety, and community can inspire action toward a future free from violence and full of opportunity. To amplify their voices and creative expression, the Center for Youth Equity at Tulane University invited young artists in the New Orleans area to submit original artwork on the theme of “Liberation” for a contest and exhibition. A judging panel selected winners of a Grand Prize award, prizes in each age group, and honorable mentions. All entrants have their art included in this exhibit and on this webpage.

photo credit to Paula Burch-Celentano

Prize Winners

Grand Prize

Khalil Mcknight

My hair is a way of self-expression; awkwardly unknotting every follicle and overlapping each loc eventually molds the two strand twists. I initially decided to grow out my hair to combat my anxiety, using it to cover my eyes from my surroundings. Years later, I realized the troubles that came with my younger self's innocent decision: constantly being racially profiled and discriminated against, forced to endure an even greater fear.

11 to 12 Age Group

Elaine Sun

The art piece is called 'Solutions'. It is meant to represent many different aspects of the word "Liberation". However, it can be interpreted in any way the viewer believes is right.

13 to 14 Age Group

Ilesa Hinkle

"Freedom," co-written and performed by artist Jon Batiste, inspired this artwork. The female and male musicians stand together, demonstrating equal power and opportunity in financial independence, education, and personal growth. The breaking chains evolving into doves represent escaping oppression from war and racial inequity. The rainbow reflects acceptance of the LGBTQ community and breadth of sexuality. Finally, the sunrise indicates the dawning release from social constraints.

15 to 17 Age Group

Shawn Carter

As we all know, the crystal is supposed to make out self love. This art piece was made over the theme of substitution, because of the fact that many, if not most people crave to be set free; released; liberated from pain. When we're hurting, we tend to feel overwhelmed, trapped, or imprisoned with emotion. This piece represents wanting to be done with pain and heartbreak, using something such as that crystal as a source of healing and relief. I created this piece to express the way I used my crystals as a way to get away from things I didn't want to deal with, to liberate myself from my own emotions. This piece, having something to do with the theme of substitution, can relate to a lot of people, representing mental health, emotional awareness, and also the feeling of wanting to "escape" from life. In this, I wanted to give out a different perspective on the word 'liberation'; breaking free. When it comes to topics such as liberation, usually, society would only think about race, gender, or sexuality, but truly, no one ever really considers mental health.

18 to 21 Age Group

Kendrik James

"Men Are Human Too" is about liberation from toxic masculinity. The young black man is removing the tape that symbolizes the abusive teachings that trap men into believing that they cannot show weakness of any kind, including loving openly and expressing their emotions. He is liberating himself of the confinement that toxic masculinity has taught him by speaking his emotions while tears fall to show his pain. The hands on his shoulders capture the warm support and understanding of loved ones for his moment of weakness, reminding him he is no less of a "man" and that he is human.

Honorable Mention Awards

Samarah Bentley, Louise Bohan, Tatyana Gross, Christian Jackson, Micah Jeansonne, Maggie Livaccari, Samiyah Payton, and Akeem Sinegal.

photo credit to Paula Burch-Celentano

11 to 12 Age Group

Elaine Sun, Age 11, Orleans Parish | Winner of the 11 to 12 Age Group Prize | The art piece is called 'Solutions'. It is meant to represent many different aspects of the word "Liberation". However, it can be interpreted in any way the viewer believes is right.
Tatyana Gross, Age 12, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | A fist is punching through a wall that contains words or feeling that often can leave people bound such as lies, hate, bitterness, etc. The fist is holding a chain rusted chain. The rusted chain represents old habits. As the fist punches through the wall the wall is cracked and pieces of the wall fly into the air leaving a hole with the punches through. Inside the whole is darkness, in which that spot is black. There are broken ropes falling off of the fist resembling liberation..
Dakota Lynn Merideth, Age 12, Orleans Parish | I like to call this piece, "solemates". You know the saying "you can see someone's soul through their eyes"? Well, that's what's being depicted by the two eyes at the top. What their soul truly desires is seeping through their pupils. The color of the liquid is the kind of person they desire and the person before them matches the liquid. The reason I put them in a starry background is for two reasons. One, when they are with eachother they feel like that in another dimension, like the love brings them out of this world. Number two, they feel as though they have found a light in the dark and even though there are other fish in the sea (referring to the other stars in the sky) there is only one that is the perfect match. :)
Jolly Osorio, Age 11, Orleans Parish | My art piece is based on the people that think that everyone and everything should be created equal. Its about the hope in this world that stands there like a flower that is immune to everything in its world.
Lamya Woodard, Age 11, Orleans Parish | The true meaning (not the only meaning) behind this painting is slavery and what now have we become, which is the freedom part. The mother and the baby represent two black people where the baby is being raised by a black mother. The girl next to the baby is what the baby has become, a beautiful and black, young girl that is now free, free to the world, and free from slavery.
Elijah Williams, Age 11, Orleans Parish | This is Sponge Bob. A favorite cartoon artist that he loves. He drew it and colored it with color pencils during a break in class.

13 to 14 Age Group

Ilesa Hinkle, Age 13, Orleans Parish | Winner in the 13 to 14 Age Group | "Freedom" co-written and performed by artist Jon Batiste, inspired this artwork. The female and male musicians stand together, demonstrating equal power and opportunity in financial independence, education, and personal growth. The breaking chains evolving into doves represent escaping oppression from war and racial inequity. The rainbow reflects acceptance of the LGBTQ community and breadth of sexuality. Finally, the sunrise indicates the dawning release from social constraints.
Louise Bohan, Age 13, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | My piece shows an open book with light pouring out of it. The light is meant to represent the power of knowledge. The theme of my piece was essentially that, when this power is withheld, someone can be rendered nearly defenseless. Women, for centuries, were withheld knowledge and the power that comes with it. Therefore, liberation, for women, was and is knowledge.
Jamariyah Baker, Age 14, Orleans Parish | Comic book sketches. She draws these with no assistance or no pictures in front of her. She loves to draw these characters.
Alana Britt, Age 13 | me. The piece of artwork I'll be submitting is a description of me. Not perfect, seen differently through other people's eyes, but if you look hard enough you'll see the beauty in it! It's got a few rough edges, and it's been through a lot, but that doesn't stop it from being the amazing piece of art that it is today.
Mia Swanson, Age 14, Orleans Parish | My drawing is of a girl falling into the dark and a phoenix catching her. The girl had fallen into despair and abuse, but the phoenix carried her out of that suffering letting her start anew.

15 to 17 Age Group

Khalil Mcknight, 17, Orleans Parish | Grand Prize Winner | My hair is a way of self-expression; awkwardly unknotting every follicle and overlapping each loc eventually molds the two strand twists. I initially decided to grow out my hair to combat my anxiety, using it to cover my eyes from my surroundings. Years later, I realized the troubles that came with my younger self's innocent decision: constantly being racially profiled and discriminated against, forced to endure an even greater fear.
Shawn Carter, 16, Jefferson Parish | Winner in the 15 to 17 Age Group | As we all know, the crystal is supposed to make out self love. This art piece was made over the theme of substitution, because of the fact that many, if not most people crave to be set free; released; liberated from pain. When we're hurting, we tend to feel overwhelmed, trapped, or imprisoned with emotion. This piece represents wanting to be done with pain and heartbreak, using something such as that crystal as a source of healing and relief. I created this piece to express the way I used my crystals as a way to get away from things I didn't want to deal with, to liberate myself from my own emotions. This piece, having something to do with the theme of substitution, can relate to a lot of people, representing mental health, emotional awareness, and also the feeling of wanting to "escape" from life. In this, I wanted to give out a different perspective on the word 'liberation'; breaking free. When it comes to topics such as liberation, usually, society would only think about race, gender, or sexuality, but truly, no one ever really considers mental health.
Samarah Bentley, 17, Jefferson | Honorable Mention | My piece is a photo collage where each image tells the story of a person searching. What they all have in common is their search for liberation, whether that be in joy, art, nature, or sanctuary. While liberation is my primary theme, I like to leave the specifics of each person's story up to the imagination of the audience.
Christian Jackson, 15, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | My piece is a woman who is embracing herself. Liberation to me not only means release, but it also means expression. Feeling what you feel just because you can. So that's a part of the reason I included so many colors in my piece.
Akeem Sinegal, 16, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | These are 2 rappers who's music I listen to. The rapper on the left is a guy named Yeat while the guy on right is Lil Uzi Vert. As of March of this year, they released 2 songs on this deluxe album called 2 Alivë (geekpack). With this album in mind, it drove me to want to make this piece. Now in the background, you see things that yeat and uzi are pretty much known for like the Ufos and the1600. Now you also see writing like "geeky member" and stuff. Those are common yeat sayings.

18 to 21 Age Group

Kendrick James, 21, Orleans Parish | Winner in 18 to 21 Age Group | "Men Are Human Too" is about liberation from toxic masculinity. The young black man is removing the tape that symbolizes the abusive teachings that trap men into believing that they cannot show weakness of any kind, including loving openly and expressing their emotions. He is liberating himself of the confinement that toxic masculinity has taught him by speaking his emotions while tears fall to show his pain. The hands on his shoulders capture the warm support and understanding of loved ones for his moment of weakness, reminding him he is no less of a "man" and that he is human.
Kelton Castillo, 19, Orleans Parish | All my compositions are trying to highlight some problems that are constantly going on in the world. There are 2 political pieces, "a political message: have you seen the other side?" and "a political message: the other side" which highlight the 2 different government parties. The other 2 compositions are regarding social problems, "money isn't the only green" and "you don't see color? It's all around you!"
Micah Jeansonne, 18, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | This piece is inspired by my decision to join the New Orleans Fire Department. Sir Orlean is my liberation from the real world. Through him, I show my feelings towards the world and how my father's disease has affected me. In this piece, the danger is off page, and just as in life, you do not know what you will encounter. Sir Orlean and the firefighters both face it head on. I created Sir Orlean to be a beacon of hope to the civilians in his universe, and he has turned into my beacon as well.
Maggie Livaccari, 18, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | I am a particularly sensitive person. My piece is a self portrait depicting myself in a state I find myself often - vulnerable, eyes still wet from tears, nose still red. I feel that society places such a tight hold on emotions. So many people see emotion as shameful, but expressing out emotions freely helps us to understand not only ourselves, but also those around us. The reason we have not allowed for emotional liberation is because we learn how to express ourselves from our parents, so adults could help solve this by being more open to their emotions
Katherine McDowell, 18, St. Bernard Parish | This piece is very personal to me, the different mirrors reflect sometimes painful and vulnerable emotions such as shock, sadness, anger, and disgust. I made this piece out of wood lino block, starting from the lightest color to the darkest. It was a process of trial and error using different color pallets that resulted into something beautiful.
Samiyah Payton, 18, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | "Peonies" is the product of an accident--mindlessly playing around with my paint if you will. My art teacher wanted to introduce the class to abstraction as an art form. It began with lines that expressed random words like "breath" and "whisper" before flourishing into an abstract series. I created various depths of fields through textures and mediums. The piece as a whole was liberating as I went out of my comfort zone to begin to embrace a messy way to portray beauty within a figure.

Thank You to Judging Panel of Yashira Lopez Davalos, Tom Friel, & Ayo Scott, Coordinating Committee Members Alex Jaouiche, Carrie Moulder, & Camila Santi, VPI Staff & Executive Team, and Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine.

About the Center for Youth Equity | The Center for Youth Equity is a culturally responsive youth violence prevention research center embedded within the ongoing community partnerships and existing infrastructure of the Violence Prevention Institute of Tulane University to build and strengthen the network for youth violence prevention in New Orleans and across the Gulf South. It receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of their National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPCs).

Credits:

Paula Burch-Celentano