On January 31st the Palestinian artist Abed Abdi came to meet the children at school. Abed Abdi is a Palestinian painter, graphic designer, sculptor and lecturer of the arts, who currently works and lives in Haifa.
He often meets students all around the country, always bringing a series of his works with him and creating this way a ’travelling gallery’: “My purpose is to transform the classrooms into galleries, and to introduce the children into the world of art. It should be noted that generally most of the students have never met an artist; Arab children in particular have very few opportunities to come into contact with art, so the idea is that the galleries should come to the schools!”.
As an artist and educator, Abed Abdi works to create the conditions to expand knowledge and familiarity with the world of art, literature, theatre and music, for the individual and for society.
He started the encounter presenting himself as an artist, and invited immediately the children to interact with him: “What does art mean?”, “Do you know any famous artist?”. Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet; every pupil was eager to tell a different name. This was the beginning of a very lively dialogue between the children and the artist.
He presented a series of canvases, plastic works he made in a variety of techniques on the theme “doors and windows”. The children had to analyse the forms and the colours, recognize the materials and what was represented in the composition. They were also asked to interpret the contents, discover the stories behind them and associate the images with objects and places of their own experience.
“The young viewer is invited to use the imagination, to expand horizons and enrich the aesthetic experience of the spiritual world”.
images by Neve Shalom Wahat… on Picassa
originally appeared on the Home page of the Oasis of Peace
article published Monday 1 February 2010
