Thursday, November 21, 2024
A gallery of vibrant, multicultural murals created by Milwaukee Public Schools students will greet guests at this year’s Holiday Folk Fair International, which is open Friday, November 22, to Sunday, November 24, at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave.
An annual showcase of art, music, food, and dance from around the world, Holiday Folk Fair turns 81 this weekend. MPS students have been creating murals for the fair since 2022, and the partnership is flourishing. The MPS Fine Arts Department recruited 16 schools in 2024 and 2023, up from 12 in 2022.
A few things have changed: Student artists paint on 5-by-10 canvas instead of boards, and not all artwork returns to the schools. Maryland Avenue Montessori School’s 2023 mural now hangs at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center, and the mural from Milwaukee Marshall High School makes its home at the Italian Community Center. “A Slice of Renaissance,” created by artists from James E. Groppi High School for the 2024 fair, will become part of the Italian Community Center’s permanent collection.
Visual arts teacher leader Gina Jorgensen is the liaison between schools and the International Institute of Wisconsin, the organizer of Holiday Folk Fair International.
Participating schools received a fresh 10-color set of acrylic paints, one bottle of medium-gloss varnish, and one canvas in August. Jorgensen showed students and teachers photo galleries and video presentations of last year’s murals to kick-start the creative process. Schools chose the country and content for their mural, based on the fair’s 2024 theme: “Celebrate the Culture of Traditional Art.”
Artists drew and painted in October and November, exploring arts traditions and histories from many cultures: the Oneida Nation to the Alps and South Asia to Colombia.
“I can’t even tell you how proud our artists are,” Jorgensen said, “or how meaningful it is when they see their murals hanging in the exhibition hall.”
MPS muralists will be among the thousands of students attending the fair’s Education Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday. Featured performers include dancers from South Division and Pulaski high schools and musicians from MacDowell Montessori School and Rufus King International High School. After previewing the murals on morning television and completing the installation, Jorgensen is joining the district’s Fine Arts Department to host weaving and castanet-making activities as part of Education Day.
Students will receive wristbands so they can return to Holiday Folk Fair International free of charge and enjoy the festival with their families. Family members and others from the public can purchase Folk Fair tickets online or at the door.
Holiday Folk Fair International is open to the public from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
MPS Murals at Holiday Folk Fair International 2024
Clement J. Zablocki School – Artists from kindergarten to 5th grade depicted the Oneida Nation’s three clans and the Tree of Peace, symbolizing the Iroquois Constitution, or “Great Law.”
Hawley Environmental School – Flamenco dance and artists such as Dali, Miro, and Picasso inspired and shaped this collaboration by 3rd- through 5th-grade students.
La Escuela Fratney – 5th graders focused on Japanese fiber, ceramic, and textile traditions. 
Fernwood Montessori School – Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 researched and represented French art, architecture, and cultural contributions, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre.
Walt Whitman School – Students in grades 6 through 8 explored the Alps’ bauernmalerei folk art.
Morgandale School – Middle years students studied contemporary artist Juan Sanchez to create a visual demonstration of Puerto Rican identity, traditions, and dreams.
Rogers Street Academy – Painting in the Japanese style of kawali, artists in grades 6 through 8 celebrated Mexican arts: Aztec Empire, folk arts, Frida Kahlo, lucha libre, and more.
Wedgewood Park International School – 7th and 8th graders made Lao art and culture their focus, drawing and painting images such as the country’s national flower, sacred animals, and Saeng Tien candle dance.
North Division High School – 9th graders created their mural in the kashi kari style, a traditional Persian and Mughal art form.
Golda Meir School – Sophomore to senior artists researched and represented the five regions of Colombia and its Carnaval de Barranquil festival.
James E. Groppi High School – Artists from all grades concocted “A Slice of Renaissance,” a mural that covers the entire canvas and will make its permanent home at the Italian Community Center.
Milwaukee High School of the Arts – Students in drawing and painting classes voted to focus on Thailand, and featured ancient Thai cities, waterways, and the Yi Peng Lantern Festival on their canvas.
Milwaukee Marshall High School – Juniors and seniors studied the work of Mondrian, van Gogh, Vermeer, and other famous artists from the Netherlands for their mural.
Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School – In grades 2 through 5, artists researched and represented the decorative ox cart and other Costa Rican cultural symbols.
Pulaski High School – Digital artists studied Palestinian history and traditions to create their designs, then voted to bring one student’s vision to life on their canvas.
South Division High School – Artists from all grades studied and shared traditions and representations of the Karen culture, including the pan sè myo, or “10 flowers,” of traditional art in Myanmar.