The Mosaic of Marks, Words and Materials Atelier

The Mosaic of Marks, Words and Materials is an atelier-space of marks and drawing inside the exhibition of the same name, and part of the same curation. This strategy of interaction underscores the inseparable nature of theory and practice for the quality of educational experience. The atelier, curated in different ways, and with different levels of access, is suited both to adult professional growth, and to exploration by children from a very early age. 

The atelier offers children and adults of all ages an opportunity for active exploration of multiple tools –paintbrushes of different sizes, pencils, pens, bamboo pens and ink pens –  each with its own "marker identity", and materials with different surfaces, textures and sizes such as papers of different colour, grain and weight, plastics, metals, stones and clays, which receive the marks and respond in ever different ways, often unexpected and surprising.

This Mosaic activates all the senses, inviting us to see with our eyes and hands, to use our sense of touch and to experiment with the qualities of sounds that are amplified when tools and surfaces meet. Our whole body, with different postures and approaches, is involved through the presence of special microphones. This is an atelier where we can try things without fear of mistakes, where we can re-discover the pleasure of play, embrace chance and accident by using them creatively, where we can feel empathy and curiosity.

OTHER PROPOSALS

The many colours of blacks and whites
An Atelier proposal

"Black is made of all colours" says Federica aged 2 years 8 months.
Very often black and white are considered "non-colours". But black and white lend themselves to representing how perceptions, freed of cultural stereotype, can become more refined and we can see things we could not see before. Black and white have a wealth of nuance and shade, created with different materials, densities, lights and juxtapositions. Not two opposite colours, but interconnected in a series of subtle chromatic tonalities. This atelier is an invitation not to think in opposites, but always look for connections.

Variations in drawing, between analogical and digital
An Atelier proposal

When traditional drawing tools and digital technologies such as microscope pens, digital magnifying lenses and webcams are connected up together, they offer possibilities for deeper investigation of marks. They magnify and make visible things that are infinitely small, showing the structure of materials and tools. Analogical/digital is an "active word" pair, that allows us to analyse the qualities of marks more deeply, and encourages us to go beyond the stereotypes of drawing.