Along June 2016 in the Ecuadorian rainforest from Tena (provincia de Napo) I have the opportunity to realize an Artistic Residency at Centro Ubaldo Bonuccelli in partnership with ENGIM Internazionale developing a serie of Workshops with the participation of children from the project. They’re are a community of educators, artists and volunteers working with the local youth to give them educational opportunities and safety; and been care of who are living in conditions of poverty, social marginalization, economic and affective necesities. Arts, nature and creativity as pedagogical ways to connect with them through differents activities.
…”The goal is to offer them an alternative to the road, a place where, through various activities, they can learn different skills, including theater, cooking, artistic crafts, music… Furthermore, through the library and evening events such as film and theater. Our aim is also to transform the center into a cultural place for the entire community of Tena. In addition to practical work, we must never forget the emotional side. Children always welcome with a smile, and make sure that, with us, they feel at home…” Valeria Begnini.
During three workshops a dozen of children between 4 and 12 years old had the opportunity to participate and add their own creativity through different techniques reusing and upcycling materials as local woods, magazines, prints or tree leaves collected by us around the near of the center:
Phototransfer Where we teach the process to transfer different kinds of printed images (from newspapers, user printers, magazines, advertising or comics …) over woods. And then extra how-to-use-a-Camera-Reflex to transfer our own pictures. They documented using the camera all what happened during the workshops.
Stencil about the creative process behind stenciling, how to use a spray can and how to make stencils by themselves. Learning how to template the negative (white) or positive (black) side from an image or the itself capacity of multiple reproduction. Children loves spray cans!!
Collage We projected into a large canvas a photo previously made by us, collaging it and providing an incredible freedom to be creative to learn about composition or colour and how to make collage from everyday materials and objects; paper, magazines, newspaper, marbling or leaves. And discover how we can combine, separate, or select to interpret a theme and translate into one large collage.
Not everything can be made just inside of a class, the kids are amazing energetic and connected with nature, as well we made another activities like excursions to take inspiration from the Amazzonia.
It was a great work, surrounded by an spectacular green ocean of Rainforest, where you feel yourself deeply connected with the Earth’s heart, breathing and beating at the same time. The participants had such a great artistic skills, very sensitives, completely innate and natural, everyday full of motivation and inspiration to learn, enjoy and create new things. Was personally an extraordinary learning from them and from all the Bonuccelli ‘s team. Such a great an unforgettable experience…
In addition, after the kids I was invited to teach to educators and volunteers from the center the Phototransfering process, so in the future they can also developes more workshops about this technic and spread the knowledge around the world
Never stop, Lucha por tus sueños.
zahra luengo 