(Looking Up segment starts at 6:16)
Mark Menjívar
Looking Up (Voices from Jack Yates High School), 2023
Inspired by teaching philosophies developed during the 1960s civil rights movement and Freedom Schools curricula, Mark Menjívar’s Looking Up brings together Jack Yates High School Students’ photographs of the sky above their school with a collective manifesto they wrote that describes their ideal school. The multi-part artwork offers a glimpse into the students’ hopes and dreams for their school community.
Looking Up (Voices from Jack Yates High School) is being installed in various locations in Houston, including FotoFest, Jack Yates High School and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Commissioned for the FotoFest Biennial 2024 Critical Geography central exhibition, the project is co-presented by FotoFest, its Literacy Through Photography Learning Program, and the Public Art Program at Houston Airports.
Student participants include Aaliyah, Aiden, Alecia, Amilian, A'myra,Anaya, Arioana, Arianna,Arthur, Ashari, Ayame, Breana, Charius, Charvis, Chesli, Cortney,Daionna, Darion, Deaierl, Dillon, Ethan, Hailie, Hannah, Israbel,Jaiden, Ja’myra, Jay’lanJhayden,Jazzinae, Jeanette, Joy, Kamyra, Kentayvia, Kimora, Lakia, Laylah,Liz, Lou’Shyra, Mahoghani, Maria, Mark,Miko, Nevaeh, Ni’Sheya, N’LanaNiana, Oscar,Raven, Savannah, Scarleth, Shonda, Solomon, SujJuan,Sydnee, Tatyana and Zoie. Workshops were led by artist Mark Menjívar, FotoFesteducator Haven Jones, and Jack Yates High School teacher Ms. Mason.
The Looking Up full series of images is presented at the FotoFest Biennial 2024 central exhibition Critical Geography at Sawyer Yards in Arts District Houston from March 9 to April 11, 2024.
The Critical Geography exhibition explores how space, place, and communities are influenced by social, economic, ecological, and political forces.
ABOUTFOTOFEST
FotoFestis a Houston-based contemporary arts organization dedicated to advancingphotography and visual culture through the presentation of exhibitions, publicprograms, and publications. In addition to the organization’s year-roundprogramming, FotoFest organizes a city-wide biennial project in the form oflarge-scale central exhibitions and public programs. Through its LiteracyThrough Photography Learning Program, FotoFest organizes K–12 classroom-basedlearning projects designed to encourage creativity and strengthen studentwriting, comprehension, and expression, reaching thousands of students. Aplatform for art and ideas since 1983, FotoFest is committed to promotinglasting international dialogue, cultural exchange, scholarship, and communityenrichment by working with artists and influential figures in art, culture, andsociety.