Hongru Chen '22

(From the Fall 2020 Bulletin)

How does your fundraising project work?
It's an art commission project. I take requests for portraits from people who have made donations to any organization that supports the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice movements. The size of the portrait is based on the amount of the donation.

What inspired you to think of using art as a way to help this cause?
Art has always been really important for me. When I saw what was going on this summer, I felt that, as a student at a predominantly white institution, I had a responsibility to do what I could to help the cause. I think things like that aren't always addressed by the school, so I think sometimes the responsibility shifts to other people like me. It's really good to use what I have as a platform to do what I can to help out.

You're an excellent artist. How did you become involved in art?
I started making art at a really young age, probably four or five years old. I started taking lessons during elementary school, and it continued on from there. I just kept doing it. I think for the first couple of years it was a hobby, but now I feel that as my skill set progresses, it's important to use it as a tool to do something bigger or to give back to my community.

Art has always been really important for me. When I saw what was going on this summer, I felt that, as a student at a predominantly white institution, I had a responsibility to do what I could to help the cause.

What kind of response did you get to your call for contributions?
Oh, I think the response has been pretty positive. I received around a dozen requests, some of which I'm still working on. I'm really busy with other stuff, but it feels really fulfilling to see how many people like that I'm doing it. The project has raised close to $1,000.

Is your project ongoing? Can readers participate?
Definitely. I'm really busy, but this isn't something I should do for just two months and then stop. So, I'm happy to keep making portraits, even if it takes a while. [Ed. Note: If you would like to participate in Chen's project, please contact Bulletin editor Rebecca Binder at rbinder@brooksschool.org.]

A portrait of a friend of Hongru Chen '22, which Chen painted following the friend's donation to a social justice organization supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.