Chapter 5:
Unteaching - Celebrating Arts in Education

(Project Instagram)

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As the Art Director of The UnSpace from 2017 to 2019, I created a dynamic platform dedicated to fostering artistic exploration, education, and community engagement. My mission was to provide a space where emerging and established artists could connect with diverse audiences, share meaningful stories, and explore new creative boundaries.

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Through carefully curated exhibitions, hands-on workshops, and community-driven programs, The UnSpace became a hub for inclusivity and innovation, empowering individuals to express themselves and build lasting connections through the transformative power of art.​

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Project UnTeaching - Celebrating Arts in Education
 

Curated by Mary Lempres | Art Direction by Michael Herrera
Hosted at The UnSpace | 147 Front St, Room 303, DUMBO
March 27 - April 4, 2019
 

UnTeaching was a week-long celebration of free arts programming designed to engage the community in creative education. This unique initiative brought together artists, educators, and participants of all ages to explore mindfulness, creativity, and collaboration through a variety of workshops, performances, and hands-on activities.

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Event Highlights

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• Creative Mindfulness Workshop: A session fostering self-awareness and mental clarity.

• Performance Series: Showcasing live talent and artistic expression.

• Pest in the Garden, Rhythm Workshop, and Spoken Image Workshop: A day filled with creativity and learning.

• Family & Everyone Activities: Sound Mediations and More, followed by a Q&A/Open Celebration.

• Family Movement, Umbilical Fiber Necklaces, and Animation Workshop: Hands-on workshops for all ages.

• Junkanooacome Workshop: An interactive experience building art installations.

• Hidden Words Project and Movement Workshop: Encouraging physical expression and community bonding.

• Final Showcase: A vibrant evening of collective improv, live music, and dance performances.

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Curator Mary Lempres emphasized the importance of mentorship:

“In inclusion with Michael Herrera, I would like to offer mentees the opportunity to co-curate the show with me. This will give them the opportunity to meet the artists and understand the ins and outs of a complex community workshop and gallery show. I would also like to include the mentees in a panel discussion with the artists and the public and allow them to introduce the show. This experience will teach them to organize, execute, and deliver a project while balancing the needs of others and the public. It will also allow them to be a part of something one of a kind and life-changing!”

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This program was enriched by the creative input of talented artists who not only facilitated workshops but also created meaningful connections with participants. Their contributions included crafting immersive experiences that reflected their unique artistic voices.

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Some of the featured artists included:

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• @leelalenoury: Known for innovative textile work and community-oriented projects.

• @corinne.amato: Led the Umbilical Fiber Necklaces workshop, inspiring personal storytelling through materials.

• @breathemelani: Led a transformative movement series, combining physical expression with mindfulness practices.

• @niizeki_hiromi: Contributed the participatory Poketto Installation, which invited attendees to engage with themes of everyday life and artistic expression. Niizeki, a visual artist and teaching artist, reflected, “Teaching art keeps me connected to the community and the reality of our life. It is a very important part of my art practice. I receive great energy and ideas from my students.”

• Siobhan Cavanagh: Conducted a DIY animation workshop using simple materials, empowering participants to create dynamic animated stories.

• Ciara Marin (@ciaramarin): Shared her unique visual art practice, focusing on transience in both animate and inanimate objects, while championing accessibility to the arts for children globally.

• Christine Stoddard: A multimedia artist who contributed video and ceramic works, weaving visual and narrative storytelling into the event.

• Deborah Dawson: A teaching artist who emphasized hands-on engagement through workshops, bridging traditional and contemporary approaches to art education.