“Through Their Lenses: A Photographic Exhibition by Youth in Foster and Kinship Care” is now showing at the Baron & Ellin Gordon Art Gallery. The exhibition, which opened on Sept. 20, will remain on display until Oct. 5.
The exhibition was organized by the First Star-ODU Academy, a college-prep program for high school students in the foster care system. Their goal is to help the students along their path to graduation, as well as preparing them for college and adulthood.
“We are excited to provide a platform for our scholars to express their perspectives through art,” said Alexia Hargrove, Director of First Star-ODU Academy. “This exhibition is not only a reflection of their creative talent but also an opportunity for the community to engage with their stories and support their futures.”
The students were mentored by Dr. Michael DiBari, a photography professor at ODU. Dibari taught his students everything they know about photography, and even gave the students cameras to use for their projects at the Through Their Lenses exhibition.
Photographers at the exhibition displayed their unique points of view through their stylistic and design choices. Their work featured everything from self portraits to landscape photography, and students made use of many different filters and angles, each showcasing their own unique design sensibilities.
A lot of the students’ experiences reflected their time on ODU’s campus. One of the students, Rusty, captured their first time on a college campus, with a picture of themself on tour at the New Chemistry Building.
Another student, Trey, took a picture of himself in a suit from the Monarch Closet –which supplies free clothes to any student in need. He captioned it, “I tried on the suit from Monarch Closet and saw myself in the mirror and felt like the Man of the Year.”
Students displayed their heartfelt messages through photography, exploring themes of family, grief, and celebration. One student, Angel, displayed a picture of a tattoo of their own design on their arm, in honor of their late friend.
While students certainly displayed their artistic talent, the exhibition was weakened by a lack of a coherent prompt or uniting theme. This, unfortunately, led to inconsistent quality across the exhibit, with some pieces a bit lackluster in comparison with others. The opening event was also a bit performative and had tones of saviorism. I wish that the students who showed up with their digital art on display had a chance to talk about their experiences instead of seemingly being the ones on display themselves.
However, Hargrove, Director of First Star-ODU Academy, passionately defended her students and the project itself. She showed true appreciation for the work done by the students, as well as a deep gratitude for all those in attendance at the event.
All things considered, I would recommend checking out this exhibit. First Star-ODU Academy does great work in the community, and most of the faults of the exhibit are explained by how new the organization is. It’s impossible to ignore the time and efforts the students put into their work, and it was an unforgettable experience.
For more information about the First Star-ODU Academy, and opportunities to donate to the cause, visit here.