Welcome to the
Virtual Art Gallery
First watch this presentation in full slideshow mode. Follow the links on the bottom to move between rooms. Click on the artwork title to learn more about the piece. Be careful not to click anywhere on the slide or it will advance the entire slide.
Regardez d'abord cette présentation en mode diaporama complet. Suivez les liens en bas pour vous déplacer entre les fenêtres. Cliquez sur le titre de l'œuvre pour en savoir plus sur la pièce. Veillez à ne pas cliquer n'importe où sur la diapositive ou cela fera avancer toute la diapositive.
Enter
Xale Reew Mi
Welcome to Xale Reew Mi
Welcome to the virtual showcase and gallery for the Xale Reewmi project. This exhibit is a collection of artwork from "teens in transition". The goal of this project is to connect the two St. Louis’- St. Louis, Senegal, and St. Louis, Missouri – through art as we seek to understand art as an outlet for expression and emotional wellness.
Xale Yi Reew Mi = “children of the country”
Signifying: The future is in the hands of the youth.
Did you know?
Xale Reew Mi distributed over 100 art kits to youth in foster care in Saint Louis, Missouri?
The project also sponsored 10 art workshops in Saint Louis, Senegal.
Foster Care
This project was created specifically to target teens in Foster Care. About 25,000 teens, ages 18-21, age out of the foster care system annually, requiring them to be financially independent and emotionally self-sufficient with little to no support (Source: iFoster). Teens often age out due to families being more interested in adopting younger children. In Missouri alone, over 500 teens aged out in 2016 (Source: LFCS).
Foster Care
This project was created specifically to target teens in Foster Care. About 25,000 teens, ages 18-21, age out of the foster care system annually, requiring them to be financially independent and emotionally self-sufficient with little to no support (Source: iFoster). Teens often age out due to families being more interested in adopting younger children. In Missouri alone, over 500 teens aged out in 2016 (Source: LFCS).
Talibes of Saint Louis, Senegal
Talibé is a religious student or disciple. In Senegal, the term refers to youth who leave their homes to master the Qu’ran under a religious leader, often in a larger city. They are entrusted by their families of limited means, to daaras, or religious schools to learn the Qu’ran. Because they are often of limited means, they can be seen begging for food and money. It is true that some marabouts, religious leaders, are exploitative and take their earnings. But in most cases, marabouts cannot care for all of the youth in their guard. The talibé’s that participated in this exhibit are first time painters. They often used color to represent emotion, or painted memories through symbols (taxis, bridges, Arabic letters, etc.). Often, their projects were not submitted with descriptions.
Talib = one searching for knowledge
Unnamed
Family
For this section, I compiled artwork that had to do with family. These pieces show the parallels and contrasts of family dynamics both with their neighbors and across the ocean.
Motorcycle Man
Anne
Taxi Village
Samba
Maison
Moussa
Favorite Things
Welcome to the section that highlights favorite items, pastimes and hobbies of our artists. This shows the range of the interests and proves that youth are youth universally.
Portrait of CoryxKensin
Anne
Brazil
Soccer Stadium
Terrain de Basket
Soccer
Untitled
Yoro
Cours de Récréation
Favorite Things
Welcome to the section that highlights favorite items, pastimes and hobbies of our artists. This shows the range of the interests and proves that youth are youth universally.
Portrait of CoryxKensin
Anne
Brazil
Soccer Stadium
Terrain de Basket
Soccer
Untitled
Itachi Uchia
Izaiah
Emerald
Emily
Characters
This section is reserved for characters created by participants. Many of the artists created characters and colors to express themselves or represent certain things.
Tom Puss
Calvin
Unnamed
Samba
That Boy Jauvo
Jeremiah
Izaiah
Emerald
Emily
Characters
This section is reserved for characters created by participants. I choose to include this section because many of the artists created characters to express themselves or represent certain things.
Tom Puss
Calvin
Unnamed
Samba
That Boy Jauvo
Jeremiah
Unnamed
Destiny
Unnamed
Skylar
Point Faidherbe
Mohammad
Gal Bouma
Samba
Symbols
This last section is three rooms artwork with symbolism and other messages. Many of these symbols relate to an integral part of the artists' lives, allowing us a peek into internal thoughts and emotions.
Arabic
Symbols
This last section contains artwork with symbolism and any other form of miscellaneous messages. Many of these symbols relate to an integral part of the artists' lives, allowing us a peek into internal thoughts and emotions.
An Outside Look at Christmas
Amour en 2021
Aliou
Ndar
Unnamed
My Life
Car Rapide
Amadou
Symbols
This last section contains artwork with symbolism and any other form of miscellaneous messages. Many of these symbols relate to an integral part of the artists' lives.
Please visit the final room for sources and for the survey link.
Le Couche du Soleil
Xalat
Coly
Unnamed
Vert
Terrain
Untitled
Mamadou
Motorcycle Man
Anne
Medium: Clay
My dad has been dreaming about owning a motorcycle so I made him one. Included a kick stand so when it’s parked, it won’t fall over.
Taxi Village
Samba
Medium: Paint
From Saint Louis, Senegal, this painting reminds the artist of how his father drives travelers across the country in his taxi, depicted above.
Unnamed
Medium: Paint
Maison
Moussa
Medium: Paint
The artist chose to share memories of his house back in the village.
Brazil
Medium: Paint
Soccer is big in Senegal but this artist loves the Brazilian soccer team!
Soccer
Medium: Paint
In Senegal, soccer rules.
Portrait of CoryxKensin
Anne
Medium: Graphite Pencil
CoryxKensin is a favorite youtuber of the artist because he is kind and funny.
Soccer
Medium: Paint
In Senegal, soccer rules.
Terrain de Basket
Medium: Paint
Playing basketball is a favorite pastime, even in Senegal.
Cours de récréation
Medium: Paint
Cours de récréation is a playground.
Untitled
Yoro
Medium: Paint
Playing basketball is a favorite pastime.
Emerald
Emily
Medium: pen and marker
I made it bright and colorful because I wanted the art to be eye catching. I created this character to brighten other people’s day.
Itachi Uchiha
Izaiah
Medium: Marker
Tom Puss
Calvin
Medium: Graphite Pencil
This is Tom Puss. I have been inspired to draw this because he reminds me of myself sitting and thinking about what can I draw next.
Unnamed
Samba
Medium: Paint
That Boy Jauvo
Jeremiah
Medium: Markers and Pen
Hand drawn.
Unnamed
Destiny
Medium: Pencil
My art work tells me to always know what my artistic thoughts will do to be more important to the people and myself from helping to overcome my depression and anxiety to make me stronger
Unnamed
Skylar
Medium: Paint
To me it represents my imagination flowing into the real world and breaking free of my mind. I love fall and the calming sound of water so I wanted to paint some of my favorite things.
Pont Faidherbe
Mohammad
Medium: Paint
Saint Louis (Ndar) is an island. To get to the island, you have to cross the Bridge Faidherbe named after a French general who came to the island in 1659.
Gal Bouna
Samba
Medium: Paint
The creator of this piece says this boat is the best for fishing because of the protection it offers. For many people in Saint Louis, Senegal, fishing is themain source of income.
Arabic
Medium: Paint
The talibes are students of the Qu’ran. The workshop participant drew what he felt which resembles Arabic characters.
Amour en 2021
Aliou
Medium: Paint
My Life
Medium: Paint
This piece shows a mode of transport in the city of Saint Louis, Senegal, with Arabic inspired writings.
An Outside Look at Christmas
Medium: Graphite Pencil and Colored Pencil
Ndar
Medium: Paint
Because Saint Louis is an island located where the Senegal River meets the Atlantic ocean in the sahel of Africa, sun, sand and light is reflected in the artist’s use of orange.
Unnamed
Medium: Paint
Car Rapide
Amadou
Medium: Paint
The car rapid is the cheapest way for people to travel in Senegal. All vans, trucks include messages.
Vert
Medium: Paint
Le Couche du Soleil
Medium: Paint
Unnamed
Medium: Paint
Terrain
Medium: Paint
Terrain means playing field.
Xalat
Coly
Medium: Paint
Xalat, in Wolof, means to think/reflect.
Untitled
Mamadou
Medium: Paint
Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to view this virtual exhibition! I have sought to bring awareness to teens in foster care or teens in transition, to share links between art and emotional health, and finally to share a bit of my Senegalese heritage.
Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Find the link on our Special Thanks slide.
Survey and Special Thanks
This project would not have been possible without the support of my family and my Gold Scout Award Committee.
Kelly Sullivan (Project Advisor)
Virginia Dowsing Toliver
Bukky Gbasdien (Art Historian, Mentor)
Laura Morse (Psychologist)
Kelly Harris (Survey Design)
Natasha Leonard (Research)
Shelly Bhagat (MIST)
June Brown
Amy Cislo (Girl Scout Troop Leader)
Wilmetta Diallo
Amadou Ndiaye (Artist, Workshop Leader in Saint Louis, Senegal)
Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition
Tiffany D’Addario (Artist, Art teacher, Mentor)
Jonelle Harris and Community School
Selina Balcii
Camille Henderson
Gabrielle Morse
Emma Scally
Project Donors
Thank you to the AUC Arts Collective Early College Summer Program in Curatorial Studies and Art History - everything I learned this past summer helped me execute this exhibition.
And most importantly, all of the artists who dared tell their story in this exhibition.
Please take a minute to complete this survey to let the Xale Reew Mi Project know what you thought about the exhibit.