Last Monday, the Bruriah juniors took an exciting trip to NYC to visit the Museum of Modern Art. The goal of this trip was to expose the students to history and art in a meaningful and authentic manner, while showing how these seemingly disparate subject areas are always interwoven with each other.

This concept aligns with the 11th grade U.S. History curriculum where they are using the lens of modernity to explore how war and revolution lead to revolutions in art and popular culture and thinking. Currently, the 11th grade is studying this concept as it relates to the American Revolution, and public understanding of the events at this time were portrayed in arts and media. This MoMa exhibit focused on events they will be exploring later in the year, and explored the Americans’ conception of self in a more modern age. Bruriah students were able to compare and contrast the revolutionary spirit of America to this later modern understanding of what it means to be an American citizen.

“Seeing art from specific moments in history and analyzing the messages embedded within the artists’ choices helped fuse together a variety of skill sets taught at Bruriah” explained Margueya Poupko, director of Academic Enrichment. “The students were engaged in various activities that asked them to notice particular details and apply their observations to their own understanding of the Vietnam War and other events. By connecting art and history, we are able to understand the cycle of how global moments affect society, and vice versa.” Each student walked away from this exhibit with a further insight into their own American identity, as well as a richer understanding of American culture and history.