Out of the Art Room and into the World

Abstract

HAVE YOU ever looked at an old tool or appliance or toy and thought to yourself, That looks like a flyswatter or a giant's necklace or a flower? Probably all of us have had such an experience, and for most of us that's where it ends -- a fugitive thought that passes as quickly as it appeared. For Joe LaMantia and his collaborators, however, such thoughts can be the beginning of a fruitful cooperative effort that connects a school and its community through the universal language of art. LaMantia is an who has worked in many media. These days, though, he is working primarily in a medium he calls sculpture, and he's working almost exclusively with schools and other institutions as an artist in residence. For two busy weeks, LaMantia galvanizes a school as he brings art to the campus, and the campus rounds up the rest of the community for a collaborative effort in which everyone has a stake. LaMantia and his collaborators -- the entire school community -- take inherently worthless materials, most of them recycled once already, and make of them something of unique and striking beauty. What LaMantia brings to the mix is his experience in art and architecture, boundless enthusiasm, and an unshakable faith that people will rise to the occasion and let their creativity have free rein. It all begins when someone, often an art teacher or a principal, attends a presentation about LaMantia's projects or sees one of them at another school. Once a school has made contact with LaMantia, it has set in motion a whirlwind of activity that culminates in a sculpture that will give back to the community for years to come. (Phi Delta Kappa is now helping LaMantia spread word of his efforts to an even wider audience, and a number of his completed projects can be seen on the Phi Delta Kappa website at www.pdkintl.org/profdev/residency/artisthome.htm.) The process begins with brainstorming -- involving lots of people for periods of six months or more. The brainstorming allows a school, with LaMantia's help, to arrive at a unique reflection of its culture in the form of a site-specific collaborative sculpture. When LaMantia is contacted by a school, he first sets up a meeting with a key person or small group at the school site. Usually the key person is the principal or the president of the parent/teacher organization, but sometimes the art teacher or even a small group of interested adults take part. Later, LaMantia sets up another brainstorming meeting with parents and still another with teachers. LaMantia also asks the students at the school to come up with drawings and conceptual notions, all of which ultimately feed into the final project. For all their creativity, serious business is also conducted at the brainstorming sessions. LaMantia explains the terms of his residency, which usually lasts for a two-week period, during which he stays with one or two families, inviting himself to dinner at the homes of various other local individuals. This relieves the burden on host families and helps LaMantia get to know a larger number of community members. The cost of a residency is roughly $350 a day, plus minimal expenses, but more often than not the upfront funds for LaMantia's time come from the PTO or from a local foundation or other philanthropic source. Many people believe that artistic processes simply emerge from some deep well of creativity that only certain people have, but collaborative sculpture of this kind has to be organized. All stages and steps and responsibilities are organized. I try to make every aspect of the process clear to the school and the community, LaMantia says. After the initial brainstorming sessions, which lead to a basic concept for a piece, LaMantia spends from three to six months constructing what he calls the project design. …