Maine East’s ‘Poverty Project’ depicts life of the poor through art

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A display of cereal boxes symbolizes how choice in food is a luxury for many during Maine East High School's multi-media Poverty Project. | Contributed photo

Updated: March 5, 2012 1:52AM

Before schools let out for the biggest gift-giving holiday of the year, students at Maine East High School in Park Ridge decided to educate their peers about an issue that is closer to home than many might think.

The Poverty Project, a two-day multimedia exhibit spearheaded by Maine East’s National Art Honors Society and Amnesty International chapters, explored the concept of poverty on a local and global scale.

Thirty students collaborated outside of school hours to create the collection’s nearly 40 pieces of art and 20 educational maps and fact sheets.

Their approach was to use “both sides of the brain, the creative and logical” and to make it interactive, said Magdalene Eisenberg, Maine East art instructor and supervisor of the Art Honors Society.

Displayed at the high school on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, the exhibit featured PowerPoint, video, sculpture, printmaking, photography, painting, drawing, and even “junk art.”

“No two projects looked alike,” Eisenberg said

A stencil art piece featured a homeless person holding an iPhone. Another student outlined in words the priorities and ambitions of different social classes.

In addition to highlighting homelessness, issues affecting the working poor and lower-income families were also focal points.

Empty water bottles on a gold-colored shelf and dozens of empty cereal boxes on the wall symbolized how variety and choice is a luxury.

The shape of a begging hand formed with pennies represented how one “hand” holds the majority of money and is still holding out for more.

Food was a recurrent theme among the art.

One student created food menus with suggested serving sizes, the number of calories and cost. The Michelle Obama list featured tastier and healthier meal options than that of the impoverished.

“A lot of people living in poverty – in especially our communities – are obese,” said Eisenberg. “Calories are cheap but nutrition is expensive.”

Students decided to keep the artwork anonymous and not to sign their pieces because they believed “it’s not about us, but about the idea,” Eisenberg said.

She added: “That took it to the level where they didn’t want it to be praised.”

The Poverty Project also included a call to action: students were encouraged to get involved in addressing poverty now by giving back to others in need. They donated “wish list” items like toiletries and cleaning products for the Palatine-based organization WINGS, which provides transitional housing and support services for homeless and abused women and children in the northwest suburbs.

WINGS stands for “women in need getting stronger.”

“It brings tears to my eyes how much these kids put into it and how much they’ve learned,” Eisenberg said.