The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA) at Cal State San Bernardino, in collaboration with the Manuel A. Salinas Creative Arts Elementary School, will present smARTshow, a conceptual fourth-grade art show by Oraib Mango, CSUSB professor of world languages and literatures, and William Beshears, a fourth-grade GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) teacher at the elementary school.

The exhibition will be on display at the RAFFMA Dutton Family Gallery from May 21-27, with an opening reception on Friday, May 20, at 5 p.m.

The smARTshow will be this academic year’s final presentation piece of the collaborative Al-Najm program, founded by Mango and Beshears. The two educators created Al-Najm (“star” in Arabic and the school’s symbol) to bring college-level thinking to elementary school students, increase student agency, and create a more engaging educational experience for the students’ families. 

This year’s theme introduced students to conceptual art through the development of thought-provoking paintings, sculptures and performative art. The final exhibition will showcase the fourth grade class’s motivation to experiment, take creative risks and challenge norms through art.  

Beshears guided students through their art projects that will be displayed at the Dutton Family Gallery. “Our daily workshopping of ideas has come to be nicknamed by the class as ‘therapy’ given that each art project has forced many kids to think deeply about issues personal to them among the supportive environment of their peers,” said Beshears.

One student said, “Conceptual art can change the world. Look at us. We are fourth graders making art for a museum and college.” 

Mango received a 2012-13 Community-Based Research Mini-Grant from the Office of Community Engagement to begin the Al-Najm program with the Manuel A. Salinas Creative Arts Elementary School. “Working with Mr. Beshears and fourth-grade students has inspired me to think in new ways,” Mango said. “It allowed me to break free of restrictions and set me free to develop new ways of looking, seeing, wondering, dreaming and questioning, which are at the heart of teaching and scholarship.”  

RSVP for the opening reception on May 20, from 5-7 p.m., at the smARTshow registration site.

Special thanks to the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA), Office of Community Engagement, and the Department of World Languages & Literatures for bringing this exciting exhibition to CSUSB.

For questions, please contact raffma@csusb.edu.

About RAFFMA
The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art, nationally accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, houses a collection that includes Egyptian antiquities, ceramics and contemporary art, and hosts 10-12 temporary exhibitions a year. Located at California State University, San Bernardino, RAFFMA presents one of the largest public displays of ancient Egyptian art in Southern California.

The museum offers a variety of opportunities providing valuable hands-on work experience and preparation for future museum-related careers for CSUSB students. We are a great location for hosting corporate events, networking events, meetings, social gatherings and K-12 school field trips. When you visit RAFFMA, you find it’s more than a museum – it’s an unforgettable experience.

General admission to the museum is free. Suggested donation is $3. Parking at Cal State San Bernardino is $6 per vehicle ($3 on weekends).

RAFFMA Hours (beginning May 16, 2022, through June 25, 2022)
Monday – Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday – Thursday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Closed Friday and Sunday

Visit the RAFFMA website for more information.