Student Artists/Student Activists

Months earlier, the students and their teacher, Peter Yuscavage, had gathered for a workshop with educators from the Inside Out Project.

Founded in 2011 by French artist JR, the Inside Out Project (IOP) helps people communicate their beliefs and ideas through art. Communities work together to develop a statement they collectively stand behind. Then they display black-andwhite portraits of each participant in a public space. From start to finish, the IOP calls this process an Action.

People have completed Actions all over the world, exploring important topics—both local and global. One Action called “Save the Arctic” aimed to bring awareness to the North Pole and its endangered wildlife. More than 2,000 portraits were used in a photomontage of a giant eye, which was then displayed near the North Pole, above.

The students had started the project months earlier. They attended a workshop with their teacher, Peter Yuscavage, and educators from the Inside Out Project (IOP). French artist JR founded the IOP in 2011. The organization helps people share their beliefs and ideas through art. Communities come up with a statement they all support. Then they create black-and-white portraits of themselves and display them in public spaces. The IOP calls this process an Action.

People have completed Actions all over the world. One, called “Save the Arctic,” focused on endangered wildlife at the North Pole. More than 2,000 portraits were used to create a giant eye, shown above. The eye was displayed near the North Pole.

During the workshop at Jersey City Arts, the IOP educators guided the students in a discussion about public art. “Can public art change the world?” they asked.

The students were excited to connect with their community. “The power of it is making someone stop in the middle of their day and think about an issue that is bigger than them,” one student explained.

After collaborative brainstorming, the students decided to focus their work on mental health. “There’s so much going on, and it kind of gets stacked in our brains and we feel the societal pressure just weigh on us,” said a student named Muneeb.

For the workshop at Jersey City Arts, students discussed whether public art can change the world. “The power of it is making someone stop in the middle of their day and think about an issue that is bigger than them,” one student said.

They decided to focus on mental health.

According to a 2018 Pew Research Center poll, 70 percent of teenagers said anxiety and depression were major problems among their peers. The Covid-19 pandemic only amplified the problem. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the proportion of 12- to 17-year-olds visiting emergency rooms for mental health reasons rose 31 percent for most of 2020 compared with 2019.

“Not everyone is able to kind of get the help they need as soon as they need it,” said a student named Eric. “Just raising awareness and recognizing that everyone should be able to get the help they need is really important.”

“Talking about it together was really powerful for us,” recalls Muneeb. “I hope that [our artwork] helps other students talk about their mental health as well.”

In 2018, the Pew Research Center asked teenagers about mental health. Seventy percent of them said anxiety and depression were problems among their peers. The Covid-19 pandemic made this worse. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many more teens experienced mental health crises in 2020 than in 2019.

“Recognizing that everyone should be able to get the help they need is really important,” says a student named Eric. “Talking about it together was really powerful for us,” says Muneeb. “I hope that [our artwork] helps other students talk about their mental health as well.”

With their statement set, it was time for the students to make their portraits, find a place to showcase their work, and put their ideas out into the world.

They took turns photographing one another in front of a polka-dot background provided by the IOP. Everyone thought that the photo shoot helped the students connect and have fun. “It was nice that we could approach something so serious together in a lighthearted manner,” explained a student named Samar.

Yuscavage and his students received permission to install their portraits on a fence bordering a local construction site. The best part: The site is next to one of the biggest commuter hubs in New Jersey.

Now it was time for the students to make their portraits and display their work.

First they photographed one another. They posed in front of a polka-dot background provided by the IOP. The photo shoot helped the students connect and have fun. “It was nice that we could approach something so serious together in a lighthearted manner,” said a student named Samar.

Yuscavage helped get permission to install the portraits at a local construction site. The site is next to one of the busiest train stations in New Jersey. This meant that a lot of people would see the public art!

On the day of the installation, the students worked in small groups, mixing buckets of wheat paste—a liquid adhesive made from wheat flour and water. Then they used the wheat paste and paint rollers to adhere the portraits to plywood boards attached to the fence.

The students worked together to hang the portraits on a fence at the site. They mixed buckets of wheat paste, a glue made from wheat flour and water. They used the wheat paste and paint rollers to stick the portraits to boards on the fence.

Since JR founded the IOP, more than 400,000 people in 138 countries have created Actions. On that sweltering June morning, 36 students added their faces— and their beliefs—to the tally. After months of preparation, the students hung their portraits in a few short hours.

They celebrated with pizza in a nearby courtyard, but not before getting a chance to see members of their community react to the newly installed artwork. As pedestrians and bikers passed on their way to or from the train station, many stopped to ask questions and admire the portraits.

“It breaks the monotony,” one student remarked. “You see these big faces and you want to know why they’re there and what they’re saying.”

Since JR founded the IOP, more than 400,000 people in 138 countries have created Actions. On that hot June morning, 36 students added their portraits to that total. After months of preparation, they hung their portraits in a few hours.

They celebrated with pizza. They also got to see community members react to their work. Many people on their way to or from the train station stopped to ask questions and admire the portraits. “You see these big faces and you want to know why they’re there,” one student said.

The class was optimistic about getting attention and making change. In fact, the next morning, officials from Jersey City would see the artwork during the groundbreaking ceremony for the nearby construction site.

“It’s about getting our voices heard,” another student chimed in. “This is a good opportunity to show that art can change the world.”

The class was pleased that they were making an impact. The next morning, there would be a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction site. Then Jersey City officials would get to see the display.

“It’s about getting our voices heard,” said another student. “This is a good opportunity to show that art can change the world.”