Intermission : Ellington Theater Last Friday found me at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown. My sister's colleague invited her to attend a Christmas concert by the school's vocal musical students and she, in turn, invited me and a couple of friends.
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts was founded in 1974 and is the only school in the District of Columbia dedicated to an education in the arts. In addition to standard high school curriculum, each student majors in one of eight areas: Theater, Tech Design/Production, Visual Arts, Vocal Music, Dance, Instrumental Music, Literary Media, and Museum Studies.
The photography of student Hank Thomas is breathtaking social commentary.
On the left: Visitors view Thomas' work. On the right: The piece they were so interested in.
Click on the right image to enlarge. The photo is a graphic composition that plays on MasterCard's "Priceless"
advertising campaign. The text on the photo reads: "3-piece suit: $250, Pair of socks: $2, Gold chain: $400,
9mm pistol: $80, Bullet: $0.60, Picking a casket for your son: Priceless."
On the left: Visitors view Thomas' work. On the right: The piece they were so interested in.
Click on the right image to enlarge. The photo is a graphic composition that plays on MasterCard's "Priceless"
advertising campaign. The text on the photo reads: "3-piece suit: $250, Pair of socks: $2, Gold chain: $400,
9mm pistol: $80, Bullet: $0.60, Picking a casket for your son: Priceless."
Photography wasn't allowed during the performance I attended (which was well done and a lot of fun), but there were exhibits in the hallways featuring art and photography by some of the school's students. These are just a couple of pictures of the works on display.
Title and artist unknown : Duke Ellington School If you get a chance to visit the school or attend a performance, do it. These are talented young men and women, many of whom go on to become professional artists in their own right.
Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 12/08
4 comments:
Thanks for the trip to this fine school. Wish I could have looked at each piece of artwork and heard them sing.
Oh, nice. The top picture reminds me of some of the work of Hiroshi Sugimoto, one of my favorite photographers. He did a series of pictures shot from the back of movie theaters, leaving the shutter open for the entire length of a movie. http://www.sugimotohiroshi.com/theater.html
I love the artwork! Looks like a great place to visit.
VJ: You're welcome. I think you'd really enjoy this place. The next time you visit here, I'll take you there.
Bob: Wow! That's a fabulous compliment. Thank you!
Maya: Isn't it great? I was expecting a typical D.C. high school--drab, uninspiring, cold--but this school is really a gem and the artwork is definitely gallery quality.
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