KOB 4 Cheyenne Anderson curated a new art show aimed to help troubled teens

Описание: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There have unfortunately been numerous criminal cases involving teens across the state. But even as some are behind bars at the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center, they’re using that time to learn how to get back on the right path through art. And now a local teen is helping her incarcerated peers recognize their worth by curating an art show.

“A lot of times we devalue people who are in the criminal system,” Cheyenne Anderson said. “And by putting their art up there and putting art of youth up on the wall, we’re saying that ‘your voice has the same value as everyone else’s voice.’”

17-year-old Anderson had a vision to show her peers that they matter and that even if they’re behind bars, it doesn’t have to determine their future.

“Even like if you just tag something, or if you make a sticker and put it out there one day, you could be in the position to have a piece of art in a museum like the Met or like the Guggenheim,” Anderson said. “It just shows that there are more possibilities in life.”

Saturday, on the walls of La Plazita Institute, the community found pieces from museums and artists from across the country hanging next to art created by teens who are in the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center. Together it makes up the “Self Determination” art show.

“I grew up with knowing how art is a privilege, and with this idea that we just need to continuously share it,” Anderson said.

She explained that many of the artists who lent their pieces began with street art.

“I took part of the first generation of subway writers,” Roberto Gualtieri said.

Gualtieri, also known as “COCO 144,” knew Anderson from a previous project. When she reached out for “Self Determination,” he was immediately on board.

“She’s doing something for the community, and which, you know, it’s not many people are doing that,” Gualtieri said.

The artwork created by the teens comes from one of La Plazita’s programs.

“Being able to portray and process things in a positive way gain more positive identity for themselves, but also be recognized in the community that they’re going back into,” Erik Rivera said.

Rivera has worked for the nonprofit for over a decade and in that time, he’s seen incarcerated and at-risk kids completely change their outlook on life.

“When you give somebody the power and the confidence of their own lineage, their own culture, their own belonging, it’s essentially this,” Rivera said. “You’re giving, gifting them something that can’t be taken away.”

The art show was a pop-up so unfortunately, it was only available Saturday. But Anderson said she’s hoping to create a similar show and take it to more rural areas like schools on reservations and detention centers outside of Albuquerque.

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