Tickets: Free

Please note that although the reception for this event will be on June 11 along with a short performance at 5:15 pm, "Sounding the Iraqi Children's Mural," the exhibition is on view at the Center from June 9-12 during the Center's open hours, 11 am - 4 pm.

Background:
In January, a mural painted by Iraqi refugee youth/children living in Amman, Jordan, was hung in the foyer of the Smith College Campus School. It was the beginning of a collaboration between The Iraqi Children's Art Exchange and the Campus School's sixth grade students and teachers working under the direction of Bob Hepner. Working with acrylic on an 18' x 5' canvas, each class designed and painted an image on half of the mural, and each student painted an individual image in the small squares around the periphery of the mural. Both the Iraqi mural and the Campus School mural were painted under the title "Building a Culture of Peace: How Weill They Know Us?"

While the mural hung in the foyer, another project emerged, inspired by clarinet teacher Mary Ellen Miller. When and her students began to "sound" the Iraqi Children's Mural, composing original music for the clarinet. Miller pulled together the original pieces into one composition. It has been mixed and recorded onto a CD and will be sent to the Iraqi youth in Jordan, so that they will know how their work has inspired the Campus School children. The students, Gabriel Jacobson, Ryan King and Lily Zogbaum will play the piece at 5:15 pm, June 11.