Experiencing Our Environment Through Knitting, Workshop by Carolina Cherubini

EXPERIENCING OUR ENVIRONMENT THROUGH KNITTING, WORKSHOP BY CAROLINA CHERUBINI

In Quillagua, the most arid town on the planet, where life is only possible thanks to the waters of the Loa River, on the border between the regions of Tarapacá and Antofagasta, and more precisely in the beautiful multi-court of the G-15 Ignacio Carrera Pinto School, the workshop guided by the Brazilian artist, who was also part of the official selection of Flood, took place. The purpose of this event was for the children, mostly of Aymara descent, to gather on the 22nd of October and expand their imagination through needlework. Cherubini’s pedagogical approach had as fundamental elements the valuing of creative freedom, manual work and the acceptance of error as part of the process. She also emphasized the importance of working with patience, dedication and affection for the results. Twenty-five students between the ages of 4 and 13 participated in this meeting.

Cherubini’s pedagogical approach had as fundamental elements the valuing of creative freedom, manual work and the acceptance of error as part of the process.

To capture the imagination of each one, the artist asked them to draw on the fabric different elements they identified with, which were then outlined and filled in with basic knitting stitches. While the younger children found it difficult to draw, the symbols and ideas they were able to capture about their closest ties were very clear, with references to their families, landscapes and even to themselves. On the other hand, the older children wrote their names, drew their houses, some cartoons, among other graphic elements of greater complexity that required a remarkable collective concentration.

The collaborative spirit among the educational community of Quillagua, the SACO team and the international artists and judges has redefined for the past eight years the history of abandonment and sacrifice that the place still carries.