Learning from our children
Mayor's column
One of the best things about children is how they can remind us as parents and relatives to keep taking a fresh look at our world. It is lesson I believe we all need to keep learning long after we join the ranks of the grown-ups.
I got to see for myself just how amazing the eyes and insights of the young can be when I helped at the opening of My World: Children’s Art 05 at the Christchurch Art Gallery.
The Gallery foyer provided a fine setting to celebrate and salute the results of asking more than 60 Christchurch primary and intermediate schools to get their pupils thinking about their world, and how they see it. To be precise, the challenge was for them to think about their identity, their world, and how they see themselves in that world.
The My World theme excited and challenged pupils and teachers and the best of the results in this show are just stunning. As a window into what is brewing inside the minds of our next generation of creative artists, the show gives a wonderfully strong impression of both ability and vision.
With everything from sculpture to painting to a DVD of how one project was done, perhaps the only unifying theme amongst the 135 individual and group works was the talent and optimism on show. Colourful, positive and strong; the show reflects a city and world where creative children at least feel alive to potential and possibility.
It is quite magical in parts. Best of all, it’s from our best teachers — the young.
It runs until 7 August and I heartily recommend going along. Lift your winter spirits with this glimpse into the world of the young.
Before that, I’d been thinking about a South American city that set itself a goal of becoming a city where every child was loved and safe. I’d love to see us add another idea to that – I’d like us to also be working toward having a city where every child can keep the artist within themselves healthy and well all through their lives.
Evidence that our society needs to change its attitudes to creativity comes when you reflect on how virtually every kid at kindergarten and other pre-schools is an artist but by high school very few are. For many the creative spark gets snuffed out.
On the brighter side, at shows like My World you get to see the work of young people who give the impression their spark may well flourish into amazing creative flames in the future.
If the promise on show here is realised, we can look forward to deepening Christchurch’s reputation for innovation and insight in the creative world of the future.
What we do know about encouraging creativity is that the broader the range of positive experiences are for young people, the better the end-result. One of things Christchurch does really well as a city is help provide all our people with the chance to broaden their potential.
As we head into what is often the most indoors of all the school holidays it must be good for parents and children alike to know that KidsFest runs from 9 to 22 July. Once again, the KidsFest organisers have come up with a huge range of potential positive experiences to choose from.
In fact, the brochure for this year runs to 58 pages. It offers adventures ranging from the very active through to the more dreamy and reflective. A massive collective effort, it again gives young people a wonderful smorgasbord of possibilities to choose from.
It is another timely reminder that even as Christchurch grows and expands we are managing to hold onto some of our best features. Like being a great city for the young and the young creatives on show now at our Christchurch Art Gallery, Te Puna o Waiwhetu.
Mayor of Christchurch
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