Workshop for children

With Karolina Kucia, Agata Tecl and Martyna Tecl-Reibel
Saturday 28th of July

This workshop was part of the long pedagogical practice in Kronika with children around Bytom, from age 5 to 15. In one day and for three hours, my proposition with Karolina was to work with the idea of a ‘monster’. With drawings, mapmaking, storytelling, costume-making and in the end with a small in-site performances, we tried to give image and form for the ordinary and imaginary fears of children in Bytom.

We started by drawing an image of a fear, difficulty or horror, which can be true, dream or not-true thing or event. There was no initial direction to draw a monster, but to make a large size drawing of these fears. Then children made a costume of this, or rather something to wear: a mask, helmet, shirt, pants, shoes, or cape. When the costume was made, children were asked where this monster would live. After a short discussion we decided a place. We prepared for a performance in this place, kind of meeting, party or event of these monsters. How monster dances, howls, or moves? In the end, how this monster transforms itself into something else, and how does this transformation take place?

In an empty, abandoned courtyard, we made this event of the monsters. After that each child was interviewed to tell about their monster. How tall is it? Where does it live? Is it he or she? What happened to the monster? Does it live on the day or night? If it would transform it self, what would it become?

These interviews will lead into a one performance scene on video, which will be presented in the CSW Kronika exhibition for children.
Link to a CSW Kronika Facebook page with some images is here.


Photos: Agata Cukierska