TEXT-TILES/INSPIRATION AFRICA
The pilot has included INSET exploring story telling and fabric screen printing linking Grays Farm Primary with two local schools: Kemnal Technology College (Secondary) and Rectory Paddock School (Special). The classroom-based workshops have involved the exploration of storytelling and writing using music, drama, fabric screen printing and the Internet and has resulted in the creation of a series of large fabric banner/books and the setting up of an interactive project Website.
The first stage of the pilot project took African stories and images from the Asafo flags of Ghana as it's inspiration and was a great success with very positive feedback from both children and teachers involved. Initial feedback from the artists, however, indicated the limitations of working from a purely 'virtual' starting point - although children were fascinated with the Asafo flags viewed on the project Website via the Internet, they responded better to African objects brought in by the storyteller that they could look at in detail and handle. This prompted an approach to The Horniman Museum in South East London and the development of the next stage of the initiative - a partnership with the Education Section of the Horniman Museum entitled - 'Inspiration Africa'.
Link to Workshop documentation pages
Link to information about this Site