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Steps leading up to action in Gezoncourt
Coordination of the action in Gezoncourt shall be undertaken by Alexandra Zanna. I met her first during a Berlin Wall exhibition - the Sylvestre Verger collection which was shown at the Palais Royale in Paris, May 6th 2009. She was shooting with her camera a documentary of the exhibition.
We met again in Berlin in June 2009. She was there to continue her shooting for the documentary about "painters between walls."
Alexandra Zanne in Cafe: Kaffeezeit on Knesebeck in Berlin-Charlottenburg, June 2009
We had during that time in Berlin a joint discussion with Pantelis Sabaliotis, Katia David, Elizabeth Markewitch and Hatto Fischer about Kids' Guernica activities. All had shown a keen interest to do such an action both in the Wedding Gallery in Berlin and in Gezoncourt near Nancy, France where Alexandra lives. Such synergies between people makes possible the creation of Kids' Guernica network.
Pantelis Sabaliotis and Alexandra Zanne
Elizabeth Markewitch, IKONA TV and Pantelis Sabaliotis, painter and curator of Wedding Gallery
Katia David, artist and coordinator of the Kids' Guernica action in Wedding
At the time of the visit there was a children exhibition in the Municipal Gallery. Some of the ideas taken from such an exhibition can inspire for future work with children and youth. Being a Municipal Gallery, the outreach to the local population and in particular to artists young and old is of crucial importance to facilitating integration and contribution towards making the community become creative i.e. open to new ideas.
After this meeting in Berlin, correspondence started to see how the idea of Kids' Guernica could take shape. Usually it takes time before a person interested finds the convincing moment to become active. It means usually three things:
- explaining the concept of Kids' Guernica actions to others and finding children, artists and in general supportive people to undertake it
- finding funds (a canvas in Japan costs 200 Euros plus transport another 200 Euros, and to which have to be added paints and if possible some fee for the artist or artists doing with the children the action), place and thematic perspectives. Clearly to begin such a cultural action designed to become a community wide action time and space is needed. It can take two days but also four months if not more. Crucial is the process and the documentation once children and youth start to paint messages on such a huge canvas the size of which is identical to Picasso's Guernica (7,8 x 3,5 m). These murals become something like large letters with messages children wish to send to the world
- link up with the Kids' Guernica network after having experienced such an action to sustain these efforts for peace and sustaining children's imagination over time, that is even after they have grown up and entered adult life
Sample of progress made in understanding
From: alex zanne [mailto:alexzanne@wanadoo.fr]
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:38 PM
To: atto Fischer
SubjeHct: Re: re. animation de la mur
Bonjour Hatto,
Mais...qu'est ce que vous faites exactement pour Kids'Guernica?
Je ne comprends pas bien...
Nous avons commencé à construire le projet Kids Guernica avec une amie
nous avons décidé de travailler avec les enfants sur les Mandalas on doit encore y réfléchir...
Bonne journée
Alexandra
And then came the news in May 2010, that is practically one year later that
- in Gezoncourt by Nancy Alexandra Zanne has succeeded in obtaining funds for the initiative
Nous avons eu l'argent pour Kid's Guernica:
la Région nous donne 50% du budget et notre communauté de communes nous donnera de l'argent, ils n'ont pas encore décidé combien.
The Kids' Guernica action will take place in Gézoncourt by Nancy, France in October, that is during school holidays. Two artists may assist: Hervé Morlay and perhaps Isabelle Hart.
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alex zanne [mailto:alexzanne@wanadoo.fr] |
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Notre projet Kids Guernica avance... |
Our project Kids’ Guernica is advancing.. We will still search for further funding but we are well supported and not concerned about the budget.
The organization The atelier we will have on the Saturdays 25/09, 02/10, 16/10 and 23/10 And the children will do the work during the vacations between 25/10 and 03/11/2010. We are going to do the work under the theme of ‘children of the others’ and shall use the slogan “The other, friend or enemy?”. We will speak then about the German-French relations as our region is very appropriate for such a subject. We shall organize one visit to a phantom village which was destroyed entirely during the First World War in order to explain what followed as the French-German friendship (the German enemy, then friend …the other enemy = destruction, the other friend = construction), In order to explain that one must be more constructive insofar one is able to work together, and that this is going to be lived by participating in the Kids’ Guernica project. The vernissage to show the work will take place in the middle of November in Dieulouard where there is a ‘Saloon of Artists’, to be followed by an exhibition in a building of our region, in Metz and perhaps in a building of our department in Nancy. But we would love also to exhibit it in France, in Europe and also in the world.
We have also some questions concerning the organization of Kids’ Guernica. Shall there be an exhibition in 2011, and if yes, where? When we send the canvas to an exhibition, who shall pay for the transport of the canvas? We are a little association and have not much money available, there it is necessary to know if our canvas is going on a voyage or not. Will it be possible for you to come to visit us when the children work on the canvas? Many thanks for answering these questions.
What is happening in Greece? Here in France, we hear a lot and talk a lot … What are you going to do if the social climate is becoming perhaps very hard? In France the social climate is hard, we are all facing hardships in our lives due to our salaries I am not concerned, but we are going to face tough times, but we have still a very good quality of live, since we live in the country side and have a house…but certain French people without work or who work and live in misery, that is not normal. And our president, our deputies, our European MEPs, they dispense of the money without any restriction. Indeed, the French are beginning to wake up and to scold… I am going to translate your articles this evening with my husband who speaks very well English.
Thanks again and see you soon
Alexandra
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« "Invisible Ministry": Alexandra Zanne in Gezoncourt, France | "The other: enemy or friend" Gezoncourt Nov. 12, 2010 »