Moments: Hardships and Joys We Carry is presented through a partnership between MoCA Arlington and Cardinal Elementary School in Arlington, VA. The artwork in the exhibition was created by fifth grade students at Cardinal Elementary using applications of collage. The collection comprises two pieces by each student: an obligation and a celebration.  Students based each singular work of art on an attribute of their identity, which includes family traditions, heritage, talents, hardships, joys, discoveries, and lived experiences.  As a class, students paid tribute to their identity by embracing the uniqueness that makes each student who they are within a family and community.  The artwork is displayed as one piece as an appreciation for all aspects of identity that create a oneness within a community by connecting the works of art as a whole. This work creates a footprint of identity that highlights experiences in life, including weights we carry, joys, hopes, dreams, and an admiration for everyone who has shaped them now, and in the future.

Moments: Hardships and Joys We Carry takes place as part of MoCA Arlington’s celebration of Youth Art Month, which is organized by the National Art Education Association.

Location: Jenkins Community Gallery

Dates: February 14 – March 30, 2025