“Equality is how you would treat you…You should treat people you don’t know the same.”

– Emanuele, Year 7

Our most recent workshop at Chestnut Grove Academy in Balham, London, touched on the struggle for equality, past, present and future.

Students were encouraged to discuss past and present inequalities through art and poetry and imagine a better and more equal future. They identified inspiring historical activists, shared issues which felt important and close to them, and discussed what equality meant to them.

Mr Gee led the poetry section of the workshop, giving the students writing prompts and encouraging them to get their ideas down on paper. Using a collage exercise where the participants cut out images and words they liked, Mr Gee got them to use instinct and personal interest to overcome writer’s block and feelings of imposter syndrome.

“I guess we’re trying to go from Ideas, to Words, to Images, to the Mural” - Mr. Gee

Atma led the art section of the workshop, helping each student create a triptych depicting their interpretation of equality in the past, present and future, and how we can move from inequality to equality through action.

In the end, the students’ words, collages and drawings informed the design of a large-scale triptych artwork painted by Atma, that now hangs in their school hallway to spread their message across the institution. 

Big thanks to @mrgeepoet, @atmastudio and Chestnut Grove Academy for this wonderful experience! 

#murals #muralpaintings #equality #future #thefutureisbright #youthart #schoolart #struggleforequality #inequality