art/vision/voice - Maryland Institute College of Art

the young woman in this selfportrait
transferred to a regular
high school soon after the project.
case study: california state university, monterey bay 93
In the years that followed, ruap did another project addressing
visibility by creating photo portraits for local shopping centers. The teen
moms were given their own digital storytelling project three years later
Through Looking In/Looking Out, ruap learned that working in
distressed communities where youth are not well served requires patience
and constant problem solving. Unpredictability, inconstancy, and change
are hallmarks of this work. Therefore, building trust, or confianza,is
essential to any planning period and any relationship development.
Respect for community knowledge and values are the foundation for this
work, but ultimately it was the creative force, the power of the artistic
metaphor that transformed the youth, the students, and the staff.
johanna Collaboration is the term most often used to describe artists
working together and with communities. Though [the concept
of collaboration] sets up the terms of engagement, there are many
possible methods of interaction. My purpose in exploring the
act of improvisation in the reciprocal community art context is to
understand the essential spirit of the human act caught in the
moment. In this are the clues to successful social interface. I guide
my students and community partners with my experience, training,
and trust in this process. It is a balance between preparation, skills
development, good listening, letting go, and recognizing the signs
that lead us in the best direction—because improvisation brings
an authenticity to the exchange, and new forms are realized.