Make Your Mark: Student Responses to Modernist Abstraction

Exhibition Details

Jun 21, 2025

Make Your Mark: Student Responses to Modernist Abstraction

The Harwood Museum of Art is pleased to present a collaborative exhibition developed with Taos students from ages 6–11. Engaging with the museum’s collection of modernist abstractions, the students thoughtfully selected works that resonated with them on a personal and emotional level. Through a guided process, they experimented with various mediums—including pastels, acrylic, and sculpture—before choosing the work of art that they felt best represented them on the museum walls.

Rather than replicating the original works, the students explored how these pieces made them feel, translating those emotions and impressions into unique, expressive artworks. The resulting exhibition pairs each student’s interpretation with the original work, fostering a dialogue that bridges generational perspectives and artistic approaches.

By situating the students’ responses alongside works from the permanent collection, the exhibition highlights the enduring relevance of abstraction and its ability to evoke deeply personal reactions. It invites viewers to experience familiar works through fresh and imaginative perspectives, showcasing the transformative power of engaging young artists in dialogue with the past.

Beatrice Mandelman, Sun Series B-2, ,1970, acrylic on canvas. Gift of the Mandelman-Ribak Foundation. Collection of Harwood Museum of Art.

Beatrice Mandelman, Sun Series B-2,1970, acrylic on canvas. Gift of the Mandelman-Ribak Foundation. Collection of Harwood Museum of Art.