COCA Youth Vision: University City High School Partnership 

Students explored techniques such as paper cutting, printmaking, and transfer as part of a residency with artist Sukanya Mani for this collaborative exhibit. Past Abstract is a collection of their stories created through remembering and reflecting on how those memories inform their identity.

COCAYouthVision is designed to help student artists learn “hands on” what it takes to take their work in the studio, which has been technically refined, to the exhibition space—thus discovering their vision and voice.

Students in COCA’s University City High School residency display their work in COCA’s collective public space, the first exhibition for many of them. This event is the final stage of an advising process that brings together emerging artists with COCA’s educational and curatorial team. Visitors witness the student’s process of finding an authorial voice while discovering at the same time the strength and urgency of the young voices. With COCAYouthVision, COCA strengthens its commitment to become a democratic and welcoming space in St. Louis’ art scene. Students were advised by professional artist, Sukanya Mani, who was recently featured in the Millstone Gallery with her exhibit Presence of what; Absence of whom.