On Nov. 17, for the first time in over three years, Upper School photography classes went on a field trip to the Hirshhorn Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, both in Washington. Organized by Upper School Photography Teacher Lely Constantinople, the trip was also chaperoned by Upper School Librarian Stephanie Gamble and Upper School Science Teacher Thomas Donley.

Constantinople designed the field trip so that students could have the flexibility to explore the art they were interested in, as opposed to having them look at specific pieces. She emphasized how important it was for students, especially after the pandemic, to get off campus and enjoy what Washington had to offer. 

At the Hirshhorn Museum, the students visited “A Window Suddenly Opens,” a contemporary Chinese photography exhibition. The gallery features works created by Chinese artists in the past three decades, documenting a cultural shift in China as the country’s economy rapidly modernized. 

Many students, as well as Constantinople, cited Zhang Huan’s “Foam” as the most compelling work in the exhibit. In a series of self-portraits, Zhang, whose face is covered in soap suds, is shown holding a photograph of his family in his mouth. 

After visiting the Hirshhorn, the group walked to the National Portrait Gallery before 

returning back to campus on the Metro.

Junior Mallory Stack particularly enjoyed the “I Dream a World: Selections from Brian Lanker’s Portraits of Remarkable Black Women” exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery, which showcases photographs of influential Black women whose lives and careers impacted the United States.

Stack said her favorite portrait was of American chef Leah Chase.

“I really love the joy in this image, from her smile to her posing,” Stack said.

Constantinople hopes to take her students on field trips more often, particularly to sites around the city where they can take photos of the scenery, as taking pictures of the Sidwell campus can get repetitive after a semester or two.

Photography students look forward to future field trips, viewing the art as a vehicle for change.

“Photography is a really powerful medium, and I like how it can be utilized to portray important messages, but it can also be something that causes joy,” Stack said.