Workshops
If you can ink it- you can print itLOVE / HATE
Human Rights
Institution/ Organisation: University of Bishop Grosseste, Lincoln UK
Level: University BA Module Community Arts and Wellbeing
Theme: Immigration: Xenophobia and Integration
Method: Exploring food as a resource, a historical record of immigration and varied cultural influences. Talking and making images around food is a way in to a shared experience. The wider picture looked at resources: to what degree hatred towards immigration arise when there is a perceived threat of resources?
One group (n=13) traced the history of immigration and their foods that became embedded in Lincoln daily life. Food such as Kebab, and more that is part of English Identity. The second group researched what food can be named truly British and original o the island. The students printed two posters : one in colours for favourite British dishes, and the 2nd showing what is left when ‘foreign’ food is removed and is printed in grey, black and white.
Role: Development and workshop leader
Print Output: Posters and Lunch bags
4th Freedom Fanzine
Human Rights
Institution/ Organisation: SEANSE Seanse’s mission is to enable children and youths to experience and express through art. SEANSE arranges and support artist residencies, seminars, workshops, and conferences. We are located at Volda University College, and financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, Møre and Romsdal County, Volda University College, and Arts Council Norway. http://seanse.no
Level: High school
Theme: Exile
Method: Printing together where there is no shared languages, focusing on images, names and experience. We worked with a group of unaccompanied minors living at a local immigration processing center. Some turning 18 were about to be sent back to their countries within weeks. It felt futile focusing on freedom and human rights- instead the participants led the session, printing the words LOVE and Mother, over and over again.
Role: Development and collaborative workshop leader with Karen Helga Maurstig
Print Output: Fanzine
Images Copyright: SEANSE and Rita Slotteröy
Rita Slotterøy , Artistic advisor at Seanse – Art Centre gave the following feedback.
«The Fourth Freedom Fanzine- workshop is a great example on a project that allows the participants’ involvement on several levels, from learning a craft, creating art, to the expression of thought – the freedom of speech. Working with refugee minors in making a fanzine, like we experienced at Seanse in Volda, creates a lot of meaning. Especially in a situation where a new language might be inadequate, printmaking and collage work can become another language through one can express oneself.”
The project drew from the working practices and vision of Amos Kennedy and Iris de Leeuw that I had the privilege to experience and develop together through Freedomhouse Art.
For more on the benefits of fanzines, see: http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/32004/1/the-mental-health-zines-filling-the-gap-that-therapy-doesn-t
Gomi-Moku-Hanga
Sustainability
nstitution/Organisation: Sogn and Fjordane Museum of Modern Art, Förde Norway
Level: Primary
Theme: Marine Pollution. Making images about what can be found in the sea- from fish to plastics.
Method: Japanese woodcut Mokuhanga and trash printing Gomihanga. The workshops was integrated with experiencing the exhibition 20 Coastal Stations
Role: Development and collaborative workshop leader with Karen Helga Maurstig
Print Output: A4 to A5 prints
4 x Printmaking Royal Free Hospital
Wellbeing
Institution/Organisation: Royal Free Hospital Children’s School, Hampstead London UK
Level: GSCES and A-levels
Method: Stand-alone basic printmaking techniques to be integrated in portfolio submissions for exams
Role: Development and collaborative workshop leader
Print Output: A4 to A5 prints
Siobhan Aubergé, Creative Arts Teacher, gave the following feedback:
‘’I am delighted to have had the opportunity to collaborate with artist and print-maker Bess Frimodig. She led a 4 week outreach project at our Hospital School, with a group of vulnerable young people. Bess introduced them to various forms of print making from silk screen to linocut. She embraced experimentation and facilitated an expressive environment harnessing on the students’ individual creative abilities. Bess had a great rapport with the pupils who felt very comfortable working with her. The students acquired an extensive array of technical skills as well as the ability to work collaboratively. The feedback from the group was highly positive, and I am really looking forward to working with Bess in the future. ‘’
Solidarity and Human Rights
Freedomhouse-Art Foundation (in collaboration with Nehallenia Secondary School in Middelburg, The Netherlands together with Cisaura Refugee Learning Centre in Djakarta, Indonesia)
Iris De Leeuw established Freedomhouse –Art with the motto: ‘in pursuit of happiness’. De Leeuw has successfully raised an interest in The Netherlands on using arts to promote human rights education.
Freedomhouse-Art is a non-profit making foundation for teaching human rights through communication arts. This includes traditional printmaking techniques as well as digital and social media.
Freedomhouse-Art center its activities around The Four Freedoms that support the foundation for the Human Rights Declaration: ‘Freedom from Want’, ‘Freedom from Fear’, ‘Freedom of Worship’ and ‘Freedom of Speech’.
Copyright: Photos of Cisaura Refugee Learning Centre by Muzafar Ali
Title: Solidarity
Theme: Solidarity
Method: Growing food, Composting, Cooking, eating together and Printing together creating a magazine on Human rights.
Role: Collaborative organizer together with Iris De Leeuw, Ramon de Nennie and Muzafar Ali. Workshop leader in Human Rights Education through Graphic Arts on Freedom from Want (the right to shelter and food)
Level: Secondary and A-level
The project aims to define Solidarity. The students in Holland and Indonesia collaborated on producing a magazine to raise funds for developing the existing, but small school and its library for refugees in Indonesia. The magazine is a ‘real’ publication in sections consisting of articles, topical issues and debate, illustrations, photo essays, advertisements, food and life style but these were subverted and explored to fit the human rights theme.
One series of workshops focused on Freedom from Want and food. Students exchanged recipes and ideas on foraging and growing food. One exploration was to growing potatoes from a found thrown away potato and planting it in a trash milk container and in compost.
Final outcome were a series of prints made from food packaging and inspired by the discussions in the class.
Class room
Ali, Muzafar. Solidarity Students at Cisaura Refugee Learning Center in Indonesia
Class room
Ali, Muzafar Solidarity Cisaura Refugee Learning Center in a Skype session with Nehallenia High School exchanging ideas and recipes
Growing potatoes
Student work with Frimodig Solidarity Growing potatoes from thrown away potato in trash and compost
Beans planted
Student work with Frimodig Solidarity Beans planted using waste material and compost
Prints
Student work Solidarity Printed with found materials
Prints
Student work Solidarity Printed with found materials
Trash Sea Turtle and Marine Pollution
Freedomhouse-Art Foundation in collaboration with Scheldemonde College, Vlissingen, The Netherlands
Title: Trash Sea Turtle
Theme: Marine Pollution
Method: Collecting marine litter and food packaging from supermarket during one day to shape a 5 meter large sea turtle sculpture
Role: Organizer and workshop leader together with Iris de Leeuw
Level: Secondary
On reflection, it was shocking to realize the amount of litter made from food packaging and waste growing day by day. Much is floating around in the sea. The completed Trash Sea Turtle was moved to the public beach and displayed.
Trash Sea Turtle
Food packaging collected over 1 and a half day for Trash Sea Turtle
Trash Sea Turtle
Students working on body for Trash Sea Turtle
Trash Sea Turtle
Completed Trash Sea Turtle waiting to be moved to the public beach
Trash Sea Turtle
Completed Trash Sea Turtle in situ on the beach in Vlissingen, The Netherlands
TRASH PRINTING and POLLUTION
Chulalonkorn University, School of Architecture, Bangkok, Thailand
Title: Trash Printing
Theme: Enhancing creativity and looking at urban impact on the environment
Method: Printing with found materials. Exploring non-traditional materials and playfulness for architect students.
Role: Organizer and workshop leader
Level: University Students
WASTE EATING DRAGON and SUSTAINABILITY
Bangkok Preparatory International School, Bangkok, Thailand
Waste Eating Dragon examined the amount of plastic bags generated on a daily basis in Bangkok
Title: Waste Eating Dragon
Theme: Sustainability
Method: Examining amount of plastic bags are used daily to build a 4.5 meter dragon from plastic bags and waste
Role: Organizer and workshop leader
Level: Primary School students together with parents and teachers, 2012
LITTORAL and RECYCLING
Create Centre exploring environmental issues to discover greener choices, Bristol, UK
Theme: Flotsam and Sustainability: Creativity in the Garden and Kitchen
Method: Mono-printing with found materials and tools found in the garden and kitchen
Role: Organiser and Workshop leader
Level: Varied adult learners ranging from professionals to the unemployed, 2009
LITERACY
Artists in Schools, London, UK
Role: Designing and delivering Tailor made workshops ranging from Literacy: making a Magazine for 9-11 year olds, Identity: Exploring female roles and media portrayal for 14-16 year old girls in an inner city school, Local heritage: Museum in a Box for 14-16 year old girls, 2005 -2009
PRINTMAKING and MENTAL HEALTH
Core Arts promoting positive mental health for people experiencing mental health issues, Homerton, London.
Theme: Multiple images
Method: Printmaking
Role: Workshop leader
Level: Adult learners who experience severe and enduring mental health issues
PRINTMAKING
Kulturfabriken KKV Örnskoldsvik and North Cultural Council, Norrland, Sweden
Theme: Professional creative development
Method: Monumental Print Making by woodcut and etching
Role: Co-teacher with Stefano Beccari
Level: Professional artists, 2010