On Friday, March 15, the Marvin Gelber Print & Drawing Study Centre (“P&D”) added five more happy visitors to its total: the youth photography class from a local community arts engagement organization called Jamii.
“Milijana Mladjan and I gave them the VIP treatment, and they were really tuned in,” says P&D volunteer Michaela Novotna, who worked with Milijana – Monitor, Marvin Gelber Print and Drawing Study Centre – to develop and deliver the afternoon program.
Michaela, centre, with Jamii visitors
Milijana and Michaela drew on P&D’s extensive collection to teach the group something about various approaches to photographing in series.
They showed, and then led discussion about, a variety of works ranging from family celebrations in rural Pennsylvania, to professional boxers in training, to “lifers” in American prisons, to Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny. Final item: a daguerreotype, which sparked a conversation about what it would have been like to live in a world without photography and then see a photo for the very first time.
The way that Milijana and Michaela shared the information – friendly, personal, and passionate about the subject – was perfect for their audience. These young people live in a mixed-income, largely newcomer neighbourhood, and none had ever visited the AGO before.
“It worked,” says Michaela, looking back. “There was a lot of laughter, lots of participation.” She adds, “It was deeply rewarding. I’m proud that we have this facility and resources to share with groups like this one.”