East Tamaki School
Region: Auckland
Art form: Visual Arts
Project name: Toi Whakaata - Bringing print to light: Printed Histories
Creative name: Alexis Neal
Project Information:
Not every school in New Zealand has printmaking facilities, this project is an opportunity to introduce the print process to a group of primary school students. Students will explore the rich history of their local rohe/area of East Tamaki and explore their sense of identity within it. The starting point will be to unpack the themes of their project and the print processes they will be learning. Students will draw out their ideas and design and build a collagraph block made from recycled/textured materials from which to print. The final collaborative piece will display a large, printed grid representing the year levels involved. The artist will weave through the school's vision and values/ngā uara throughout the project within our local curriculum context. The community and whānau contributions will also be further strengthened by the partnership and relationships with the school/kura, as we bring this project to fruition through collaboration and communication. We envision that it will further enhance their love of the arts, while remaining open and supportive of some future career options emerging from this experience.
This is not just about a teacher, teaching children; this is about creating an environment where everyone involved is engaged in the learning process. Through this process, we aim to create a space that explores cultural diversity, the student’s individual cultural histories and the schools. This will be developed through image making, drawing, and printing techniques. The exploration of cultural identity, the value of history and the complexities of human connection will be discussed and contemplated, to show how artefacts can be both personal adornment and remnants of material culture. Here, the Māori story will be rendered with contemporary materials. It’s a simple, effective weave. It is social, personal, cultural, and human, as it puts the ākonga in the centre of everything.
Project starting: April 2023
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