Scholar art exhibition at Alger Middle School honors influential Black artists

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) — Scholar artists at Alger Middle School are using pen, paper, and research to celebrate influential Black creative artists from history and contemporary culture.

The art exhibition features scholar-created line art portraits developed by Beginning and Intermediate Art scholars. Each scholar selected an influential Black artist, studied their life and work, and created a detailed line drawing designed to capture both the artist’s likeness and creative spirit.

In addition to completing the artwork, scholars researched and wrote original biographies to educate their peers about the artists’ lives, impact, and contributions across various creative disciplines.

The final selection of 13 artists represented in the exhibition was curated by the school’s Advanced Art class. Scholars in the advanced course reviewed submissions, evaluated artistic quality and representation across disciplines, and helped shape the overall vision for the show.

Advanced Art scholars also took on leadership roles in preparing and installing the exhibition in the Alger Middle School cafeteria, transforming the space into a gallery for the school community.

The collaborative project was overseen by art teacher Stephen Smith.