Kids at the Armory


May 16 – June 6, 2009

Ernesto Neto
May 14 – June 14, 2009*

Acclaimed contemporary artist Ernesto Neto’s largest and most complex sculpture to date, anthropodino, filled the Park Avenue Armory’s vast drill hall with an epic work to be touched and sensed by the viewer.

On consecutive Saturdaysfrom 16 May - 6 June, NYC’s most sought-after teaching artists lead elementary school-aged children and their parents in art-making, storytelling, theater and dance through this immersive and extraordinary sculpture. Workshop participants chose from an offering of different, two-hour workshops, including opportunities to explore and interact with the sculpture and to create their own artistic work in response. On Family Arts Day (May 16), kids and parents were also invited to hear from the artist, Ernesto Neto, in a talk from 1 – 2pm.

Family Arts Day Saturday, May 16
Arts Workshops11am - 1pm
Ernesto Neto Artist Talk1pm – 2pm
Arts Workshops2 - 4pm
Saturday Arts Workshops
May 23, May 30, June 6 11am - 1pm

High school students from existing Career Development and Youth Corps programs were also invited for field trips during school & after school to tour the Armory and experience aspects of the installation and the exhibition space itself.

For information on further Armory education program initiatives, please contact the Armory at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Workshop detail

Dance Reflection of Ernesto Neto

Karen Curlee guided participants to create choreographed movements, solo, duet, and group pieces, based on words, phrases, spoken poems, and themes drawn from the Ernesto Neto piece. Karen performed on Broadway for 20 years and has been a dance and theater educator with Together in Dance, The Bronx Arts Ensemble, City Center and Young Audiences NY.

The Fit (of All Senses)

Jonathan Gall lead students to explore the connections between the senses of touch, smell, and sight with the work of Ernesto Neto and other artists who have influenced Neto’s work. Jonathan studied Fine Arts at the Armando Álvares Penteado Foundation in São Paulo and has been a visual arts educator in New York since 2000.

Building a World

Daniel Levy guided participants to use their own bodies, as well as action figures, dolls, and Lycra sheets to create environments to inhabit, exploring spaces and shapes in interaction with the Ernesto Neto exhibit. Daniel is a theater composer and 16-year veteran Teaching Artist with Lincoln Center Institute, 92Y and Carnegie Hall.

Observational Treasure Hunt

Hawley Hussey lead students to explore the use of gravity, counter-weight and balance in Ernesto Neto’s piece by creating a hanging sculpture, miniature landscapes, sculptural tents, and an observational treasure hunt map. Hawley is a writer, performer, visual artist and the Director of Education at BRIC Contemporary Art in Brooklyn.

This Is What It Feels Like

Michael Wiggins, a theater artist and storyteller, lead participants to interact with and experience Ernesto Neto’s installation by creating a shared narrative that is inspired by our relationship to each other and the artist’s work. Michael is a member of the New Victory Theater Teaching Artist Enrichment Team, specializing in community-oriented approaches to theater and arts education.

*Installation made possible by: Rockefeller Foundation NYC Cultural Innovation Fund, with additional support from Booth Ferris Foundation, G-Star Raw, The Lauder Foundation/Leonard and Evelyn Lauder Fund, and Kenneth Kuchin. Special thanks to the Consulate General of Brazil in New York.