Ποιειν Και Πραττειν - create and do

St. Petersburg, FL at Great Exploration Children's Museum March 5 - April 26 2010

Kids Guernica Exhibition

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2010

Contact: Hannah Dahm, 727-821-8992 x221
hdahm@greatex.org

The Kids’ Guernica Peace Mural Project
The Great Explorations Children’s Museum will serve as host to The Kids’ Guernica Peace Mural Project from March 5 – April 26, 2010. Over the past 15 years artists, arts administrators, art teachers, community activists and children from all over the world have cooperated in a concerted effort to construct world peace thorough the creation of community murals.  The expression of peace is unique, locally specific and relevant to each area. The entire collection contains hundreds of murals from over 40 countries painted by children of the world. The original Guernica was Picasso’s expression of disapproval with his paintbrush on canvas of the brutality of bombing during the Spanish civil war in 1937.

The six murals on display include: The Chicago Mural: People of the World; Peace through Abstraction from Athens, Greece; The Japanese Mural with Cherry Blossoms; and three from Baltimore/Nepal, France and Australia.

In a dialog, the children, ages 6 – 22 answered guiding questions such as:   Why are borders important? What would happen to the world if countries had no borders?  What happens to borders when there is a war? They created their own journals prior to visualizing and creating pictures related to the main topic.  Finally they work as a team painting together to complete the 12 x 24 feet mural. 

Hannah Dahm, art program specialist at Great Explorations and Americorps service member is the motivation behind this exhibit and a workshop that will take place March 26 - March 28, 2010.  The St. Petersburg Peace Mural will be created under Hannah’s watchful eye during the weekend.  As an intern at Florida State University, she participated in a workshop (commemorating the 15th anniversary of the peace mural project) which involved 14 schools and 2000 students as they integrated 14 panels to create a single mural.

Dahm feels, “Great Explorations is a natural place to have the kid-based Peace Mural Project.  I was so touched when I helped with the program in Tallahassee, and wanted to bring that experience to the youth of Pinellas.”
Overseeing the entire project, Hannah will help children develop their ideas of peace and translate them to images.  Through discussion, they will explore the process and then create the material.  She will guide the children as they learn how to work cooperatively as a team. 

Shelly Lee, Great Explorations  AmeriCorps program director says “Hannah brings diversity to the program and the gift of unbridled talent. This will be an amazing workshop for the entire community.”

The Kids’ Guernica Peace Mural Project
Exhibition: on display March 5 – April 26, 2010


Great Explorations Mural Project
Workshop March 26-28
Friday 4 pm – 5:30 pm
Saturday 9:30 am - 4 pm
Sunday   11 am – 4:30 pm

This weekend workshop is open to children of all ages.  Lunch will be served Saturday and Sunday.  Although there is no cost to participate in the workshop space is limited and reservations must be made in advance.
Exhibit and workshop will be held at:

Great Explorations Children’s Museum
1925   4th Street North, St. Petersburg FL  33704
727.821.8992

Resources:
Kids Guernica; Published by Florida State University; Museum of Fine Arts, College of Visual Arts , Theatre & Dance  2009.
Kids Guernica International Children’s Peace Mural Project
www.kids-guernica.org/
http://www.peacemuseumguernica.org
http://poieinkaiprattein.org/
http://www.peacewaves.org/it/index.php
http://panasonic.net/citizenship/

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Archive: Spring 2010 Newsletter

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