I have loved every second of my involvement in the World Reimagined project. This national project has been nominated for the national Lottery Awards project of the year. Pretty amazing, huh?
As their website puts it: "The World Reimagined is a ground-breaking, mass participation art education project to transform how we understand the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact. The World Reimagined Learning Programme is an experiential and transformative journey that empowers students, teachers and school communities to create a future for racial justice.
Each of the Globes speaks to one of the nine themes of the Journey of Discovery – ranging from Mother Africa through The Reality of Being Enslaved and Echoes in the Present – which give us the opportunity to reimagine our past, present and future."
After consideration, the students I worked with decided they wanted to explore "Still I Rise" for their globe design. We had weeks playing with the concept and imagery, trying various creative techniques and producing different responses to the theme. Their final design incorporated the following representation:
Their hopes and aspirations rise up the globe from the darkness that was the slave trade and migrations, to a positive, inclusive, equitable future, "Still I Rise". This part of the project ran from April until July and saw me working with a group of year 7 and 8's from Orchard. I have posted about this previously. You can find additional details and photographs there.
Following the summer holidays, I went back into the school to continue as artist educator for the World Reimagined. This time my role involved ensuring a legacy for The World Reimagined project. I supported curriculum outcomes and taught lino, stencilling and drypoint to years 9, 10 and 11.
Year 10 students were also given the opportunity to work on an, “in real life” project brief, designing placards for The World Reimagined end of project procession and celebration, held in Bristol on Sunday 23 October. This was a fantastic chance for them to express themselves and their thoughts on racial injustice to a public audience.
Year 9 also created a large-scale wooden puzzle, to represent their ideas of individuality and how they link to each other to create a diverse school community.
Within school, I had the pleasure of setting up a fine art print department. I trained the Art Technician in printmaking: monoprint, drypoint, lino print, various silkscreen print techniques and stencilling. Staff and students were also trained in the use of the reinstated fine art print press.
This has been a wonderful experience and I hope that the legacy of this project secures a future where we all acknowledge our shared history and grow, united, in a future of racial justice, equality and equity.
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