Celebrating the Bronx: Artworks from PS 72X

Studio in a School NYC is pleased to present Celebrating the Bronx: Artworks from PS 72X, an exhibition of 35 collages created by 5th-grade students at PS 72 in the Bronx.

The artworks explore aspects of life in the Bronx that have captured the students’ imagination: We see architectural landmarks such as Yankee Stadium, neighborhood street scenes, flora and fauna from local green spaces, and exotic plants and animals from the famed New York Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo.

During the 2023-2024 school year, the Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein invited Studio to create an artwork to welcome patients and guests to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Audiology. With the support of Studio Artist Instructor, James Reynolds, students reflected on the things that make life in the Bronx special. Learning to construct images shape-by-shape, the students created collages of architectural landmarks, neighborhood street scenes, flora and fauna from local green spaces, and exotic plants and animals from the famed New York Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo. The artworks were then scanned and turned over to a graphic designer to render a final wall-sized design. The final design is forthcoming, but we have included selection of renderings created by Don Giordano.

While these artworks were initially created as components for a large-scale project, they are exceptional as stand-alone works, too. Together, they render a collective portrait of the Bronx that captures the beauty of everyday life while celebrating the borough’s world-class attractions.

We are grateful to Principal Greta Ratjen and the PS 72X school community and the Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein for their partnership and contributions to this exhibition.