“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” reads a quote by eminent artist Pablo Picasso. It reminds us the importance to nurture creative tastes of children, who form the future of our nation. The ‘Art Room’ programme by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) aims at this. The new project opens a new model for primary arts education and intends to foster artistic thinking and experimentation among children across Kerala.
KBF president Bose Krishnamachari and Secretary Sunil V. recently inaugurated the educational initiative at the Edward Memorial Government Higher Secondary school (EMGHSS) in Fort Kochi.
As an endeavour that offers resources for artistic experimentation, the ‘art room’ is a learning project under the KBF’s ‘Art by Children’ (ABC) programme that tries to instill art from a young age. The programme will run alongside the fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale being organised by the KBF for 108 days from December 12.
ABC, which aims at an inclusive approach to art education, has currently 10 select schools in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts working to implement the art rooms.
Krishnamachari, artist and co-curator of KMB 2012, said KBF is ‘immensely happy’ to facilitate this kind of participation of children during the Biennale and enhancing their artistic skills. “Talent for painting and sculpting can be sensed right from childhood. Their views about art are as important as the opinions of, say, foreign artists at the Biennale,” he added.
Sunil revealed that art rooms will allow students from Classes V and VIII to grow as self-sufficient individuals. From each school, 25 to 30 students will form a resource team for their classmates. Artist facilitators will train these students twice a month so that they can help others within the art room space.
EMGHSS principal Baby Sheela, speaking at the function, exhorted the students to make good use of the art room and enhance their talent. Present on the occasion was Blaise Joseph, Programmes Manager of the ABC.
