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R.A.I.D. Center

Race and Art Immersive Discovery Center
Centro de Descubrimiento Inmersivo de Raza y Arte

1. Naivete

-ignorance to the realities of the world

2. Complacency

-aware of the realities but the positive effects to self allow the ability to overlook realities

3. Denial

-somewhat aware to the realities of the world, but refuses to admit or accept them

4. Fleeting Attention

-with such fast paced media today, racial injustice seems to be a hot topic until the media finds its next new interesting story

Featured Artist: Kara Walker

Download our brochure here: RAID Center Pamphlet

So how can we address this?

By consistently teaching and emphasizing the wrongs of racial injustice. Enabling the ability to forget or claim naivete. Complacency and denial are taken off the table when the issue is being constantly placed in the line of sight. What better to do this with than art?

We are quite literally raiding the mind with art. Students are taught how to be loud with their work, to grab attention and remove people from their regularly scheduled programming.

We are waking people up out of their blissfully ignorant slumber with each piece of art that is produced.

The work does not stop here. As oppressors are not only enlightened of their bias and privilege, the oppressed are encouraged and uplifted through betterment programming.

Education:
The educational experience at the RAID Center begins with unpacking subconscious biases and privileges. In the outdoor learning space adjacent to the sculpture garden you will see programs like the “Blue Eyes Brown Eyes” experiment created by Jane Elliott. In these programs students of all ages, races, and backgrounds are brought together to break down the roles of the oppressors and the oppressed.
The sculpture garden not only showcases the typology of art to be created at the Center but also informs the students on the campus the same way it is meant to inform others once released to the rest of the world.

Creation
Creation is key here at the RAID Center. The two main towers hold studios fit for many types of art to be created. Glass openings in the floor allow artists to view the work from their peers and possibly even be inspired by them.
The bridging polyform structure in between the two towers holds a small gallery. Its unique shape creates an enveloping space providing for an immersive viewing experience.


1st Floor - Sculpture Studio & Quality Assurance Studio
2nd Floor - Music Studio
3rd Floor - Painting Studio, Film Studio, Media Room, & Gallery
4th Floor - Written Art Studio & Photography Studio
5th Floor - Dance Studio & Active Learning Studio

                                                                        

Betterment
The RAID Center does not solely focus on educating oppressors. The art created and showcased at the Center is supplemented with programs to uplift the oppressed. The final stage in this program concludes with betterment. The images below are taken from La Cuarenta. This is the land in between the main building of the RAID Center and Lotus(Boundless). La Cuarenta is where the betterment happens. Reparations. You will see minorities are taught their rights, voter registration, meaningfull skills and like programs centered on the betterment of minority people, making the difference between equity and equality. Lotus is a gallery space that opens up depending on its use. It is also the location of graduation, the stage at which minds have been opened.

                                               

Behind the Form
Polyform

Polyform- a figure created through the joining of basic polygons.With each of these projects you may notice basic forms forms joined in unconvential ways to get unique structures. The true intrigue arrises in the form that is created from wrapping these structures. They blur the lines of obvious plan and section. You might imagine each structure can be tossed in the air and each toss results in a different landing creating a different usable space.