Ryan Frank Hueston has had an interest in the boarding school complex since his childhood. As his family history is closely tied to the school and because of his interest in historic architecture and social practice, he had a vision of restoration of the site for years in mind.
In spring 2016, while studying at the California College of the Arts, he teamed up with Magdalena J. Härtelova and Ella Schoefer-Wulf and together they wrote and received the IMPACT grant for social entrepreneurship. This allowed them to assemble a team of volunteers and work at Navajo Mountain during summer 2016.
In spring 2016, while studying at the California College of the Arts, he teamed up with Magdalena J. Härtelova and Ella Schoefer-Wulf and together they wrote and received the IMPACT grant for social entrepreneurship. This allowed them to assemble a team of volunteers and work at Navajo Mountain during summer 2016.
The main objectives of the project at that time were:
1) Clean and repair. Structurally, the roof and walls of the school are solid, but they need to be cleaned and the mud roof needs to be redone . The windows and doors need to be repaired. Whatever repairs we can't cover with the initial grant and time will be put in a state of arrested decay. The schools are on the National Registrar for historic buildings and we want to honor their place their through preservation and reconstruction that strictly honors the traditional building methods and aesthetic.
2) Hold a community dinner to open up discussion over the potential future use for these buildings i.e. a hostel, an arts and culture center, an art camp facility for indigenous crafts, and to continue to dialogue with the community to create a sustainable space that will enrich Navajo Mountain.
3) Create a documentary and archive about the buildings and the stories people in the community have about the buildings. We will be interviewing former students who attended the schools, former educators and other community members who were involved in the schools. We seek to make history visible and to share the traditions and stories of the Navajo Mountain Community.
1) Clean and repair. Structurally, the roof and walls of the school are solid, but they need to be cleaned and the mud roof needs to be redone . The windows and doors need to be repaired. Whatever repairs we can't cover with the initial grant and time will be put in a state of arrested decay. The schools are on the National Registrar for historic buildings and we want to honor their place their through preservation and reconstruction that strictly honors the traditional building methods and aesthetic.
2) Hold a community dinner to open up discussion over the potential future use for these buildings i.e. a hostel, an arts and culture center, an art camp facility for indigenous crafts, and to continue to dialogue with the community to create a sustainable space that will enrich Navajo Mountain.
3) Create a documentary and archive about the buildings and the stories people in the community have about the buildings. We will be interviewing former students who attended the schools, former educators and other community members who were involved in the schools. We seek to make history visible and to share the traditions and stories of the Navajo Mountain Community.
Original IMPACT grant proposal materials
Mission Statement:
The Boarding School Project aims to empower a community’s creative potential through renovation and reinvention of a disused site of historical and symbolic importance to the Navajo Mountain community. In addition to the communal renovation efforts, this project will also include artist residencies, opportunities for public engagement, and documentation of the entire undertaking. By providing a platform, this project will serve as a catalyst for the continued creation of arts education and cultural programs in the hands of the community.
However, it proposes more than a specific solution to a local problem. The aim is to devise a model for community oriented attempts, one that brings people from outside to work in a dialogue, responsive to the creative potential of the community, nourishing it rather than dictating resolutions. Like the architecture of the buildings themselves, it’s a dialogue of cultures.
The members of the team are: The Navajo Mountain community, Ryan Hueston, Graeme Aegerter, Magdalena J. Härtelova, Ella Schoefer-Wulf
The full proposal handed in to California College of the Arts for the 2016 IMPACT Grant is available below.
However, it proposes more than a specific solution to a local problem. The aim is to devise a model for community oriented attempts, one that brings people from outside to work in a dialogue, responsive to the creative potential of the community, nourishing it rather than dictating resolutions. Like the architecture of the buildings themselves, it’s a dialogue of cultures.
The members of the team are: The Navajo Mountain community, Ryan Hueston, Graeme Aegerter, Magdalena J. Härtelova, Ella Schoefer-Wulf
The full proposal handed in to California College of the Arts for the 2016 IMPACT Grant is available below.
