High school portrait project on display at Taubman Center
In her early career, Linda Erf Swift worked as a teacher and social worker in public schools, and later graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Twelve years into her current work, Swift photographs students in three high schools on Chicago’s South Side: Kenwood Academy, King College Prep (public schools) and University High (private).
She asks seniors to bring in a quotation they believe speaks to their identity and Swift takes their portrait with it on a blackboard behind them. The images challenge viewers to evaluate their assumptions about adolescents by opening a door into what young people really think and aspire to. The students’ choices reveal a youth culture that is wise and artistic, assertive and joyful, discerning and full of possibility.
Check out this incredible artwork for yourself:
Where: Gifts of Art Gallery – Taubman Health Center South Lobby, Floor 1.
When: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily through March 6
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