Seeds of the League Door Project

In everyday life, a door separates two physical spaces. But as a symbol, it can represent so much more—the boundary between the living and the dead, a passageway to acceptance, or a metaphor for transition. Inspired by field trips to The Green-Wood Cemetery, students at several Brooklyn public schools transformed ordinary wooden doors into vibrant and captivating works of art.

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Twelve stunning and thoughtful painted doors by students and teachers from Clara Barton High School, I.S. 136 Charles O. Dewey, Park Slope Collegiate, and Sunset Park Prep, as well as Seeds of the League teaching artists, will be on display at Green-Wood through a free outdoor installation, The Door Project.

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Families and community members are invited to celebrate the opening of The Door Project with a reception on Monday, June 26th, 4:30–6pm, just inside the Cemetery’s Fort Hamilton Parkway Entrance.

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The Door Project is the result of a collaboration between the Art Students League of New York’s Seeds of the League program, which endeavors to open doors to the art world for underserved youth, and The Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

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Participating student artists developed their artworks through field trips to Green-Wood and weekly sessions with Seeds’ teaching artists in their schools. At Green-Wood, the student artists considered the literal and conceptual nature of doors. They visited the gravesite of iconic neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988), who often painted on doors and other found materials early in his career (showing that art can be created without extensive resources); sketched the ornate doors of mausoleums; and considered how cemeteries themselves can be viewed as doorways to life after death.

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In their school sessions with Seeds of the League teaching artists, students and teachers created a collaborative studio environment to realize their works. They learned the fundamentals of color theory, drawing and painting techniques, and other foundational artistic skills. Inspired by trips to Green-Wood Cemetery, students conceptualized meaningful small-scale designs, and then translated this imagery onto full-size doors provided by the Art Students League. The resulting works address a variety of issues and themes, from immortality and death to climate change and the environment, to race and belonging, and love, loss, and community. By decorating these doors, local youth are opening their own voices to engage with the public.

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The Art Students League of New York programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The Seeds of the League is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Additional support is provided by The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation,Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Judith M. Benson, Marilyn C. Handler, The Kraft Fund, Saibel Foundation, Society of Graphic Artists, The Dr. Lawrence Spielberger & Dr. Greta Spanierman Family Foundation, Lynn H. Staley, Dr. Andrew Jacono, and The Cornelius Family Foundation.

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