A powerful new exhibition at Amant in Brooklyn titled “On Education” explores the darker sides of institutional education, casting light on the systemic violence embedded within it. Through a range of historical and contemporary artworks, the show reflects on how educational structures have shaped and harmed generations, especially those from marginalized backgrounds.
At the heart of the exhibition is a 1943 photograph by Gordon Parks, “Radio Technicians’ Class, Daytona Beach, Florida”. Taken during Parks’s tenure with the Office of War Information, the image shows a group of obedient students immersed in their lesson, representing the controlled and uniform environment of formal education. Parks, a staunch advocate against racism and inequality, once said his photography was meant to expose “the evils of racism, poverty, and bigotry,” themes that resonate throughout the exhibition. The show opens up conversations around the emotional and psychological toll education can inflict, particularly when it is used as a tool of oppression rather than liberation.
Art as a Tool of Reclamation and Resistance
Among the over 60 works in the exhibit is Philip Wiegard’s “Lost Boys” (2025), a vibrant wallpaper created in collaboration with students from the Lyons Community School. Drawing on historical Baroque techniques, the artwork not only showcases skill and creativity but also raises questions about the line between education and labor. In contrast to past centuries when children were forced into decorative arts for economic gain, these students were paid to learn, transforming a past of exploitation into an opportunity for empowerment.
Another emotionally charged installation features Stefan Tcherepnin’s Cookie Monster-like sculptures, grotesque yet oddly endearing figures that symbolize the burdens of childhood and the trauma often embedded in school experiences. Michela Griffo’s haunting paintings, such as “Swine in the Nursery” and “My Childhood,” similarly draw on personal pain, evoking cycles of abuse that begin in the family and continue in institutional learning environments.
The exhibit doesn’t only focus on past traumas but also on generational healing. Cristine Brache’s “My Porcelain Hat” (2017), a symbolic dunce cap is paired with her short film “Carmen”, exploring intergenerational trauma between mother and daughter with poetic vulnerability.
Global Protests and Educational Reform Movements of On Education
The show also addresses education as a site of protest and activism. In a standout work, Graziela Kunsch’s video “Escolas” (2016) documents school occupations by Brazilian students who resisted state-led closures of nearly 100 schools. These young protestors transformed their schools into spaces of community and self-governance, cooking, sleeping, and organizing inside, redefining what education could be.
Susan Traditional Woman Hudson’s quilt “Thank You, My Grandmas and My Grandpas” (2020) ties in the painful history of forced assimilation of Native American children in state-run boarding schools. The piece juxtaposes testimonies of abuse with affirmations of generational strength and achievement, turning a history of trauma into a declaration of resilience.
Coinciding with the controversial March 20 executive order by Donald Trump to dismantle the Department of Education, a move recently blocked by a federal court, the exhibition lands at a politically critical time. Curators Tobi Maier, Patricia Margarita Hernandez, and Ian Wallace had planned the show long before this development, but its relevance today feels urgent.
“On Education”, on view through August 17, does not aim to discard education altogether. Instead, it asks viewers to reflect deeply: What should education look like if it is to serve everyone equitably? The show doesn’t provide easy answers, but it demands better questions.
