The exhibition THE TRUE SIZE OF AFRICA at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Völklingen Hütte offers fresh insights and perspectives on an entire continent – especially for children. This is why the Käte Hamburger Centre CURE, in collaboration with the Völklingen Hütte and the Kassiopeia Art School, has developed a special programme: a creative children’s university with two hands-on workshops.
In early February, Eva Lezzi and Anna Maria Praßler led a three-day creative writing adventure with a group of twenty children in the first of the workshops. Both writers have authored numerous children’s and young adult books, as well as screenplays. Their collaborative script Johanna and the Mask of the Makonde, a thrilling detective tale about cultural artefacts looted during the colonial period and taken to Europe, is set to be adapted for film this summer. The writing workshop brought together twenty children outside of school hours at the Völklingen Hütte. Fuelled by creative energy, they “interviewed” sculptures and dove into the exhibition’s images and installations. They went on to invent and, in some cases, illustrate their own stories: tales of museum thefts, chase scenes through the mysterious underground of the exhibition hall, or – inspired by the Congo Astronauts – interplanetary adventures to Mars in search of rare minerals. Along the way, the children also learned key elements of storytelling, from protagonists and antagonists to narrative tension.
The second workshop will take place from 19 to 21 May. Titled “Inventing Stories – Building Dioramas”, it invites participants to construct miniature stage sets for their own stories, under the guidance of visual artist and curator Anna Adam and author Eva Lezzi. Adam and Lezzi have previously co-authored several picture books and run many creative workshops in different formats. As with the first, this second workshop will revolve around engaging imaginatively with the artworks featured in THE TRUE SIZE OF AFRICA.
Held during school hours, the art workshop is geared towards children with a flair for creativity, an interest in unusual materials, and a love of imaginative play. Schools can register individual children or entire groups from years 4 to 6. Participation is free of charge.
The two workshops will culminate in a public exhibition of the children’s work, opening on Wednesday, 21 May at 5:30 pm in the Völklingen Hütte. The exhibition will be on display for several days.
For more information and workshop registration, visit:
brief@jks-kassiopeia.de
Tel.: 06898-26206
www.jks-kassiopeia.de
