What makes an icon? Drawing inspiration from concurrent exhibition Fashioning an Icon: Virgin of Guadalupe Imagery in Textile Design, high school students are invited to create work exploring the visual themes of what makes a figure an icon. Students will select a personally meaningful iconic figure to explore through craft forms.
Mingei welcomes all craft forms including, but not limited to clay, metal, jewelry, furniture design, glass, textiles, weaving, basketry, fashion design and craft-based mixed media. All student work submitted must be made by hand by high schoolers during the 2024/2025 school year.
Examples of Icons:
Historical Leaders: Martin Luther King Jr., Malala Yousafzai, and Nelson Mandela are icons for their leadership and impact on civil rights and social justice.
Cultural Icons: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Elvis Preseley, and Frida Kahlo are icons in music and art, known for their influence and creativity.
Literary Figures: Harry Potter, Atticus Finch from "To Kill a Mockingbird", June Osborne from “The Handmaid’s Tale” are literary icons representing bravery, resilience, and justice.
Sports Legends: Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Cristiano Ronaldo are sports icons celebrated for their extraordinary achievements and influence in their respective sports.
Innovators: Steve Jobs, Jane Goodall, and Marie Curie are icons in science and technology, known for their groundbreaking contributions and innovations.
Personal Icons: Close family, friends, and community members hold great significance and can become deeply influential figures in our lives, akin to icons. They play a pivotal role in shaping our sense of self and worldview.
Identifying the Visual Language of Icons
Examine 2-3 photographs or images featuring your selected iconic figure.
What colors dominate the images? Which colors or combinations catch your attention?
Evaluate the size and proportions of the image or its design elements. What elements draw the eye?
Identify recurring design motifs across the various photos or images.
Are there any distinctive visual traits instantly associated with this icon? (e.g., Frida Kahlo's iconic flower crown or eyebrows).
Using your observations, create a craft work reflective of your figure. This work can be clay, metal, jewelry, furniture design, glass, textiles, weaving, basketry, fashion design and craft-based mixed media.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Each teacher or instructor will be allowed to submit 25 works total
Only one work per student will be selected for the exhibition; however, up to 3 works may be submitted for consideration
All works must have been completed during the 2024/2025 school year by a current high school student
All work must be created using craft-based mediums; this includes but is not limited to clay, metal, jewelry, furniture design, glass, textiles, weaving, basketry, fashion design and craft-based mixed media
ENTRY GUIDELINES
All work must be submitted:
Through the Museum’s exhibition submission website, to be accessible on Monday, February 1
By the classroom teacher or supervising educator/instructor
2-3 clear photographs of each of work must be submitted, giving a sense of the piece from different angles
IMPORTANT DATES
Submissions are due by the end of the day on Monday, February 17
Selections will be finalized by Friday, March 7
Howard scholarship application available beginning Friday, March 7
Students drop off art work to the Museum: March 12 - 16
Applications for the Howard Scholarship due by end of day Friday, March 21
The opening celebration will be on Saturday, April 5
The exhibition will be on view through Sunday, August 17
HOWARD SCHOLARSHIP
The 2025 R. Stephen and Nancy D. Howard Scholarship has been established to financially assist students to continue their artistic interests as demonstrated in the Mingei Student Craft Exhibition. Early experiences in the creative arts have enhanced the Howards’ own professional and retired lives, and with this fund, they wish to encourage a similar interest in the arts that would carry on through life, regardless of career path, inspiring students to further their own innate creativity.
User Entry Process Tutorial
You can leave this video on your call site's homepage (or embed it on any page) for a quick tutorial your users can watch to help them with the submission process.
