Art educator, Jada Kadry teaches in Cairo, Eqypt and volunteers in a prison for adjudicated youth. This year, there was a devastating fire at this prison. She presented the Hexagon Project at the prison, working with 15 young men to bring out their feelings and emotions onto our hexagonal canvas. She describes the experience as “New artists were born again! There’s nothing better than teaching young people how to feel the art, how to introduce themselves through art and how they get over everything by art.” They have surely created powerful images and statements. Click the following link to view their hexagons: https://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?project=2217769
Here are two examples of the young men’s work below.
Artist Mostafa’s statement: “We will survive as long as we have the Egyptian heritage, which gives us the power to be safe, to grow up again, no matter how stumbled on my steps, I can see the good future coming.”
Mostafa’s hexagon won Honorable Mention in the 2021 Diversity/Equity Theme High School category.
Artist Adham’s statement: “I miss walking around with my mam. Every time she visits me, we start crying together, but very soon I will see her again and have a walk around the countryside.”
Adham also won Honorable Mention in the 2021 Diversity/Equity Theme Middle School category for his hexagon.
Our history with Jada Kadry
Through the Hexagon Project, we have built ongoing relationships with many schools and teachers. This is true with Jada. In 2018, as a graduate student in faculty of art education in Cairo completing her masters in art education science, Jada created a start-up, Jadenli. The startup helps young people in need. Her students made lovely hexagonal designs that were put on purses. This project was highly motivational for them because they saw their works on something that all people can see and carry.
We salute Jada Kadry, her meaningful work and appreciate her involvement with the Hexagon Project. In 2020, she was one of our first international judges. We also appreciate her enthusiasm for our work.
I am always proud to be a part of the hexagon family!
Jada Kadry