Kehinde Wiley – Youth Art Team

The Youth Art Team St. Louis Trip kicked off a brand new collaborative mural project. We can’t wait to share it with you! The team has big dreams and is looking for supporters. To become one: youthartteam.com/donate.

The Youth Art Team's lead team at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

The Youth Art Team got up *early* in the morning on Friday. We met at Headquarters and hit the road for St. Louis, Missouri! We arrived safely at Urban Mission Inn and checked out our digs for the next two nights. After a quick team meeting, we headed out to see the Gateway Arch before heading back for bed.

The Youth Art Team headed to the Saint Louis Art Museum first thing on Saturday morning to view an exhibition of Kehinde Wiley portraits. Wiley chose historical works of art from the museum’s collection, and he visited north St. Louis and Ferguson, Missouri to find people who would pose for him in those classical positions.

Six Youth Art Team artists viewing large Kehinde Wiley portraits in a gallery.

These everyday people became the stunning subjects in 11 oversized paintings by Wiley, who is also the first African-American artist to paint an official presidential portrait.

One Youth Art Team artist standing with her hands on her hips while viewing a large Kehinde Wiley portrait of woman standing with her hand on her hip.

One Youth Art Team artist standing in front of a large Kehinde Wiley portrait of man.

The team explored the rest of the museum as well, discovering paintings by Pablo Picasso, sculpture by George Segal, ancient sculptures from the Middle East, Greek and Roman coins, Egyptian mummies, and more.

Five Youth Art Team artists standing together while looking at the heads from two ancient Middle Eastern sculptures.

One Youth Art Team artists looking at ancient Greek and Roman coins under a magnifying glass.

Some of the best memories in St. Louis were made when sharing meals or just hanging out together.

Three Youth Art Team artists playing pool.

Everyone loved Fitz’s where we could see them bottling their own sodas while indulging in enormous root beer floats. The Mexican food at Mi Ranchito was among the most delicious. And the breakfast-all-day with “romantic” music at Rooster was a treat.

Two Youth Art Team artists enjoying large root beer floats.

Back at Urban Mission Inn we played games, told each other about our days, noodled around on the piano, tried to catch a nap, and did a little drawing and thank you writing.

One Youth Art Team artists noodling around on the piano.

City Museum was a trip highlight – a place to explore and play, created with a wide range of repurposed architectural and industrial objects. The group made many trips down the 2-story, 5-story, and 10-story slides.

Seven Youth Art Team artists sitting on a bench at City Museum.

While some were at City Museum, others were checking out the city. They saw the St. Louis Wall of Fame mural on Manchester Ave. and portraits painted of St. Louis residents that were installed on housing along Page Blvd. (blurry pics taken from the vehicle as we drove by!). They also saw the Old Courthouse where the Dred Scott v. Sanford case was tried. Slave auctions were once held on these steps.

Six Youth Art Team artists posing in front of the St. Louis Wall of Fame mural that depicts 18 prominent African American people from St. Louis.

Vacant apartment building with painted portraits of community leaders attached to the windows.

The Old Courthouse at night with two Youth Art Team members in front by a sculpture of Dred and Harriet Scott.

Our trip ended with a surprise addition to our itinerary: a night with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. All 27 of us listened to Beethoven and Schumann, conducted by Karina Canellakis, at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. The St. Louis Symphony is the second-oldest professional symphony orchestra in the United States.

Large group of Youth Art Team artists walking into Powell Symphony Hall, home to the Saint Louis Symphony.

Musicians on our team saw and heard their instruments masterfully played. (Artists on the team play bass, bass clarinet, cello, clarinet, oboe, trombone, tuba, and violin.) Season ticket holders – whose own grandchildren struggle to sit through a performance – were nervous at first to see *19 kids* sit down next to them. By the end the Youth Art Team made an impression on them by their appreciation of the music throughout performance.

Youth Art Team artists and chaperones seated and ready to take in the performance.

Youth Art Team, your hometowns would be proud of how you represented Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Reinbeck to the people of St. Louis. We’re so excited to see the new ideas you bring back home after this trip!