War Toys to Peace Art
Museum of Anthropology at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Photo, Josephine Anderson UBC 2006
In 2006, the Museum of Anthropology (MOA at The University of British Columbia collaborated with teachers and students from Vancouver and the Maska District in Uganda to create artwork for the exhibit Acts of Transformation. In conjunction with the exhibit, Kimberly developed school programs and workshops that included a tour of the exhibition and an interactive seminar that transformed toys of violence into works of art. Some pieces depicted violent toys and transformed them into messages of peace, while others were 2D representations of reconciliation in the face of war. Students from University Hill Elementary made a peace procession to the MOA to open the Acts of Transformation exhibition, proudly carrying their handmade peace doves.
Education Program: Grades 5 - 7
In conjunction with the exhibition, Kimberly developed a two-hour education program to introduce students to peace issues through transformational debate, writing, and art-making. This school program had four parts.
Learning Objectives:
The students experienced a guided tour of the exhibition and were invited to explore the artwork, such as the Ugandan student's drawings. They discussed what symbols, words, and feelings they identified with when viewing these works? Students debated whether playing with war toys, watching violent television shows, and video games promote violence? Or are war toys neutral and irrelevant to the development of children? Students chose a word from quotes displayed in the exhibit and were asked to write a one-page response to their words. Then, students transformed their writing into a 2D drawing. Lastly, they transformed their 2-D drawings into 3-D sculptures using their own toys of violence, transformed them into works of art, and added them to the exhibition. To conclude the program, students revisited the exhibition. They had the opportunity to write response cards to a specific artwork or a message of peace to the students of Kitengesa, Uganda, on an exhibition Acts of Transformation postcard.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Kimberly developed a two-hour education program to introduce students to peace issues through transformational debate, writing, and art-making. This school program had four parts.
Learning Objectives:
- Developed student's understanding of creating a culture of peace in local and global contexts.
- To developed students' presentation, listening, speaking, analytical, brainstorming and group work skills.
- Provided opportunities for students to think, communicate and reflect on peace issues through art making.
The students experienced a guided tour of the exhibition and were invited to explore the artwork, such as the Ugandan student's drawings. They discussed what symbols, words, and feelings they identified with when viewing these works? Students debated whether playing with war toys, watching violent television shows, and video games promote violence? Or are war toys neutral and irrelevant to the development of children? Students chose a word from quotes displayed in the exhibit and were asked to write a one-page response to their words. Then, students transformed their writing into a 2D drawing. Lastly, they transformed their 2-D drawings into 3-D sculptures using their own toys of violence, transformed them into works of art, and added them to the exhibition. To conclude the program, students revisited the exhibition. They had the opportunity to write response cards to a specific artwork or a message of peace to the students of Kitengesa, Uganda, on an exhibition Acts of Transformation postcard.