FUSION

The Fusion program brings together two neighboring institutions, Cardinal Ritter Preparatory High School and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, to create a hands-on interdisciplinary exploration of contemporary art and urban culture.

Each semester, 20 students participate in this program, which is designed to enhance students’ understanding of contemporary art and ideas through a series of visits to the exhibitions at the museum. These trips are reinforced by pre-visit and follow-up school visits with the museum’s Lead Teacher. Students learn about the art-making process and the choices artists make. The changing exhibitions at the Contemporary present students with a variety of subjects and materials to explore. Students have the opportunity to develop communication and critical thinking skills, discuss artistic intent and evaluate art as a vehicle for communicating ideas.

Students play a role in designing the program by helping to set the goals for the semester. Together, students and the Lead Teacher develop a project that will enable them to share their experience with other students. This can take the form of an exhibition, a magazine, a video, or a variety of other things.

The Fusion program is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Dana Brown Charitable Trust.