Note to Self(ie)
featuring the work of six high school students working with Agelio Batle, Delia Batle and guest artist Anne Germanacos.

The selfie. Self-portrait? Or exhibitionism? Whichever the case, the selfie is arguably the dominant form of self-expression in today’s culture. Six students in San Francisco Arts Education Project’s Interdisciplinary Arts Program take the selfie to new ground. (Images above: left by Marina Kyle, right Stephanie Go)

Our internal voice makes a “note to self ” when we demand attention of our conscious mind, to remember a salient point that might easily slip. For some, it is a corrective reminder; a small personal reprimand made to reinforce more desirable behavior. For others it can be a mantra, repeated in our head, to “will” oneself into the person we see in our mind’s eye. In both cases, they are self-reflective acts that attempt to be more aware of one’s self.

The much-maligned selfie tends not to be self-reflective, but rather group-reflective; seeking peer approval, and reinforcing values of a group. Clearly, the form is fraught with dilemmas, such as becoming overly concerned with “appearance” and depending on “likes” for a one’s sense of self-worth. Note to Self(ie) implies a contradiction, merging an internal call to mindfulness with a “shout-out to your peeps.” The works in this show, many taken with a cell phone, play with this intersection and attempt to open new space for the potential of the selfie to become a self-portrait. Other works in the show use metaphor to express ideas of self. In both cases, we are given an intimate glimpse of these young artists’ struggle to define themselves.

The IA Class of 2016:
Piper Alan  (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts)
Bella Fernandez  (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts)
Stephanie Go  (International Studies Academy)
Marina Kyle  (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts)
Sophia Qin  (Lowell High School)
Kristin Tan  (Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts)

The San Francisco Arts Education Project’s Interdisciplinary Arts Program is a fully scholarshipped visual arts intensive for a small group of high-school students taught by renowned San Francisco artist Agelio Batle and his wife, Delia Batle, in the Batle Studio. The program has been designed to develop:

• technique – with some instruction to strengthen basic drawing along with basic skills in collage and 3-D fabrication. Students will also be taught to make and think in sculptural terms using primarily found material.

• artistic voice – skills will be applied to artworks that explore the idea of “self,” personal interests and personal history. Among other tools, students will use Pinterest as a way of collecting images that excite them.

• creative thinking – students will be given a variety of free association exercises to help expand creative thinking, or, as Agelio calls it, sideways thinking. Students will be encouraged to address questions that have no correct or incorrect answer but rather lead to a searching, mindopening thought process leading to unique solutions. 

In the current school year, from October 2015 through May 2016, six students participate in discussions about contemporary art and artists, with regard to content, form and technical skill. Building the aesthetic thinker is vital to the art process, with thought an important preliminary skill before beginning hands-on work in the applied arts.

About Agelio Batle
The investigative nature of Batle’s work may stem from his background in the sciences. He received a BA in Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Not wishing to pursue a career in science, he returned to his lifelong interest in art and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from California College of Arts and Crafts, graduating with High Distinction honors. Batle’s artwork includes stage design, art installation, performance art and drawing as well as sculpture. His work has been seen in museums and galleries across the United States.

Note to Self(ie) and the Interdisciplinary Arts Program are funded in part by the Crankstart Foundation, the Germanacos Foundation and Macy’s.