At the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Saket, a particular artwork enchanted Raza Khan. Later, he was brushing up on his history lessons, with an interactive game based on south Asia and the USSR.
For the 15-year-old son of a farmer, the field trip organised by his Delhi government school turned out to be an art, biology, English literature and history class rolled into one.
“When we learnt about twin artists Ade Dianita and Aditya Novali, I came across the term Down syndrome for the first time. I was also exposed to the world of literature with an artwork [based] on Amitav Ghosh, Salman Toor, and Ali Sethi titled ‘Jungle Nama’. That room was like a magnet and I could not resist its pull,” he told The Hindu.
Pilot project
Over 200 students from Khan’s school visited the museum earlier this week, as part of the Delhi government’s four-day workshop ‘Unlocking Creative Expressions: Empowering Young Minds Through Collaborative Art’. An official said the initiative was aimed at building creative thinking and problem-solving skills among students.
“Based on the results of the pilot project, the government plans to expand this to all government schools,” said Reena Gupta, AAP spokesperson and adviser to the Delhi government.
At the museum’s graphic narrative section, Ankita, 13, skimmed through comics. “I know that the society expects girls to play with dolls, but my thoughts are consumed with Iron Man comics. I spend my time at the library trying to pick out Marvel comics as I cannot afford to buy them. I want to grow up and work hard so that I can become a magazine collector.”
As he listened to audio books, Arwaz Khan, 17, said, “I entered a zone of meditation. I have never had such an experience. Since the entry is free, I intend to come here again with my friends. Earlier, I did not believe in meditation, but my opinion has now changed.”
The workshop started with guided walk-throughs, followed by themed activities. For the first two days, students made paintings and mini dioramas. Their individual pieces were later combined to create a larger artwork.
On day three, the students’ skill at needlework was tested as they made dolls inspired by Afra Eisma’s artwork ‘Poke Press Squeeze Clasp’. On the final day, the children worked with clay to replicate their feelings in physicality. Doing similar chores at home meant that many students were adept at sewing and working with clay, with some girls comparing moulding clay to kneading dough.
One student sculpted a figurine of her mother running after her with a pair of tongs. “I usually read books to divert my mind, but now I have found another medium for escapism,” the 13-year-old said.
