Beyond the Branches: A Zine by the MOCA Teens
This zine was created by the 2020-2021 MOCA Teens as a culmination of our collaboration with Jenny Yurshansky. In it, we explored the plants in our local areas: their lives, stories, families, species, and more. All of the art made for this zine was inspired by workshops made for Yurshansky’s Blacklisted: A Planted Allegory project. Blacklisted: A Planted Allegory examines plants that are deemed “non-native” to their environments as a metaphor for the ways that immigrants are disenfranchised within the United States. While learning from Jenny, we made weavings with plants from our environments, wrote in the perspective of or in conversation with plants that matter to us, and had conversations about the relevance and meaning of her project. Jenny uses these plants as a tool to connect with her audience and start conversations about issues of discrimination and bias in the U.S. With this zine, we hope to include the greater community in our learning and art. We want to highlight the importance of artists using their voices to speak out about injustice. Inside you will find the art and writings of MOCA Teens, as well as activities for you to try yourself. We hope you enjoy!