14 Wairarapa Midweek Extra Wednesday, August 10, 2022 ARATOI VOICES
Extra
A full term of art at Aratoi As these rainy grey days continue, our Education Team gear up for another bright and colourful term of lively student tours and students’ art. With two fantastic photo art exhibitions showing at Aratoi, we have chosen to focus our education programme this term on the art of photography. We have been working with REAP and artist Lucy Cooper to develop some great hands-on workshops for students. From August 29 to September 16, young students will have the chance to expand their thinking beyond traditional forms of taking a photo.
As part of our photography workshops, students will develop new skills in composing their shot, and telling a story with still life objects. Previsit and post-visit videos, will help teachers to further develop their student’s photography skills back in class. What a great way to get students snapping shots for the upcoming annual Wairarapa Schools Photography Competition. The first school groups tours have also begun for A Cabinet of Curiosities, our exhibition of the old Masterton Museum collection. We are what we collect,
Students from Carterton School draw inspiration for their own art at Aratoi. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
and this exhibit is like a peep hole into the lives of the early Masterton settlers. Full of quirky and surprising objects, this tour stimulates great discussion. It also has the potential to challenge older students, to
reflect on; and question the actions and values of past generations. For small tour groups, of 10 or less people, we even offer the chance to be welcomed behind the scenes to view our main collection store.
Towards the end of the school term, we will begin to prepare for the annual Breadcraft Wairarapa Schools Art show. This unique and exciting exhibition is a longstanding favourite with our visitors and our staff. The Breadcraft Schools Art Show gives us a chance to enjoy the fresh vision and no-holes-barred approach of children and young people from schools throughout Wairarapa. The exhibition has been run in the region since the 1980s, and is made possible by the support of Breadcraft. Opening on the first weekend of October, be prepared for multiple colour explosions, unlimited imaginations and creativity that’s outside the lines, when you visit. • For information on school group bookings, email education@ aratoi.co.nz
INTERNATIONALLY SPEAKING
Institute brings Navalny to Masterton The Institute of International Affairs’ next meeting will be the fundraising showing of Navalny on August 18, the second night of the International Film Festival in Masterton. This dramatic documentary - particularly timely given Russia’s ruthless assault on Ukraine - is the story of Alexei Navalny, Putin’s principal political critic who survived an assassination attempt by poisoning with a lethal nerve agent in August 2020. During his monthslong recovery he made shocking discoveries about the attempt on his life and, despite this, returned home to Russia where he was jailed in January 2021. In June this year he was transferred from a penal colony to a maximumsecurity prison notorious for its brutality. Suffering from a bad back, he spends sevenhour shifts seated at a
Russian opposition politician, anti-corruption campaigner and founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation [FBK], Alexey Navalny is seen on the screen during his legal appeal against his nine-year prison sentence, in Moscow’s City Court, in May, in Moscow, Russia. The appeal of Kremlin critic Navalny was rejected by the court. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
sewing machine on a stool below knee height. At times, as the Guardian newspaper reported in its review of the film, Navalny
“seems like a one-man opposition: equal parts politician, provocateur and investigative journalist … mainly, he’s portrayed in the mainstream
Russian media as that most dreaded of things: a liberal”. Through social media and mobile filming technology, his name has
spread around the world. As the Guardian said: “For Navalny, social media is a weapon and a shield … When you oppose a regime that shrouds its deeds in darkness, there cannot be too much light. But did Navalny overestimate the protection his fame - and people’s fascination with him - was offering?” In the film, Navalny said: “As I became more famous, I was sure my life was becoming safer. Because it would become problematic for them to kill me.” He pauses for a moment before remarking wryly: “I was very wrong.” • There will be nibbles and drinks at Regent 3 Cinemas Masterton from 7.15pm for the 8pm showing on August 18. The $20 tickets are available from Richard Jackson, [027] 811-0006, or Regent 3 Cinemas, [06] 377-5479.
