This year we had the opportunity to take children from the Care Homes we work with to an arts festival. Serendipity Arts Festival is a ten day festival that takes over Panjim city with music and theatre performances, several exhibits and installations. Previously, we took children from our Mobile Outreach Program sites every year to explore art. This year, we opened up this opportunity for children from the care homes where we hold library sessions. Through one of our library programs we engage with children in care homes across the state. We set up a library corner and conduct monthly sessions in an effort to increase access to books and the library. We’ve been working with these care homes for close to four years and thought it would be a great opportunity for the children to experience different parts of Goa in a new, engaging way.
Our first stop was Azad Maidan, which had three different exhibits exploring stepwells, home and family and the last one was about saree drapes from all over India. We gathered the children on the grass and gave them a small introduction to the festival, where they were and what they were going to see. We took some time to speak to the group about what art can be, noticing the sculptures and asking questions. We could almost see the cogs of their mind working, processing information as we waited to be shown in. They looked around and asked if the statues around Azad Maidan meant anything, to which we encouraged them to find a plaque that would definitely be attached. They recognised a few dates and names from the liberation movement and spent more time observing the sculpture in a new light.
The first exhibit had things to smell and listen to as well as videos exploring different stories surrounding stepwells in North India. The stepwell exhibition engaged several senses and faculties through folk tales in audio, earthy smelling pot, films, and colourful art exhibits. The exhibition was spatially well designed, which created interest in the group. The second exhibit included installations that played with light and sound. The different types of interaction with the topic prompted children to think about everything around them and how they could experience it. It was really nice to see the children already questioning things. Although a little hesitant we saw the children contemplate how much of the art could be interacted with. As we moved through the three exhibition spaces the children understood the different ways in which art can be presented as a lot of them hadn’t experienced before this. Having a brief conversation with them before they interacted with the sculptures and installations made a difference in the conversations they were having with the curators and artists. The curators gave an in-depth and child-friendly tour, which enriched the experience. The exhibit of the saree drapes was an unexpected favourite. “How long did it take you to do this?” was a common question after learning what materials were used. They nodded in understanding when they could see aspects of what they were saying resonated in the art they were experiencing and they took their time pondering over the pieces they were seeing.
One of the staples of the festival is the children’s corner at Art Park and we made sure the children didn’t miss it this year. There were sculptures, photography and the charpai exhibit here. The Challenging Charpai was undoubtedly the favourite as everyone could climb it. There was a slide attached at one end and a slack line at the other. It was great for the children to simply be themselves. With a few safety rules, they could climb, run around and experience the slack line with all the energy they had. There were also weavers sitting under the shade of the tree teaching people how to weave the charpai. It added a second layer of interaction with the installation that was rooted in the cultural context. A few children enjoyed sitting under the shade of the tree learning how to weave one. This was the first time a lot of the children interacted with art like this and it was also our first time bringing children from the care home to the festival.
Closing with a reflection session near the river was quite nice. It gave the children space to spread out and be comfortable. They shared about what they saw, heard, smelled and what were their favourite parts of the day. The sensory experience of the art contributed to such an immersive experience for the children. Two children, siblings, in two different homes got to meet each other and spend the morning doing something new together, which they shared was quite special. The day brought three care homes together, which in itself was something a lot of the children brought up. One of the girls was quite excited to see and listen to an artist from her home, Mizoram. This was also the first trip to Panjim city for a lot of the children. Apart from the festival, there was a sense of world building that took place simply from the drive to the city. Understanding how far they were located from the city and how the topography changed as they got closer. The guardians in charge, who had accompanied the children, were happy that the children were doing something new and were excited to do so.
-Written by: Sinead Vaz