At the Local Scale – participants’ reflections
Between October 23-26, 2024, at Zpace (Casa Zemstvei), as part of the education through art program Edu-Art, the visual arts and graphic design workshop – At the Local Scale took place. It was facilitated by the researcher Rada Leu [BG/CH], the artist Szymon Szymankiewicz [PL] and the curator Vladimir Us [MD]. Over the course of three days, participants benefited from the guidance of Szymon Szymankiewicz, which provided a theoretical and practical perspective on poster art and how ideas can be propagated through visual means, illustrated by concrete examples of graphic design – visible, legible, simple – developed by the artist to capture various aspects of Polish socio-political life and convey a clear and impactful message of change.
Initiated into practical activities through an introductory session, the workshop participants visited the Art studio and the 3rd Space studio, which were going to be used as workspaces, and where they met some of the residents of Casa Zemstvei (including members of the “Kolhoz” collective), that make up the mosaic of the local independent cultural sector.
After a basic introduction to various techniques, such as stenciling, the young people were given the task of creating a poster related to a challenge or crisis directly affecting the region, town, or neighborhood where they live. In a warm and familiar atmosphere, with the necessary materials at hand, and without making any distinction between the artistic experience of the participants, the natural flow of the creative process began with an immersion in each person’s inner sensations and perceptions, allowing them to subsequently form and formulate an image of their own experiences. After a group brainstorming session, facilitated by a safe and free space for reflection and sharing ideas, several sketches were created, exploring various forms of drawing. During the composition and stylization stage, lines were simplified and strong color contrasts were used to increase visual impact. In a final stage, the proportions were adjusted for greater balance and clarity.
Two workshop participants shared their reflections on the significance of the work they had done and the creative experience they had gained:
Corina-Simona Jimbei, graphic design student: “I wanted to create a symbolic composition that would convey the idea that the human mind is the key to knowledge, introspection, and freedom. I began by sketching various combinations between the shape of a key and a human profile. What emerged is a graphic representation of the idea that each of us holds the “key” to our own inner understanding and discovery. Thus, my poster suggests that the solutions to the difficulties we are facing are to be found primarily within ourselves. In the context of social or personal challenges, the work reminds us that the solution begins with a look inward and a deeper understanding of our own inner resources. The key and the human profile symbolize precisely this process of searching for answers in one’s own mind and heart before resorting to external solutions. In conclusion, art can function as a catalyst for dialogue and reflection within the community. Through visual simplicity and powerful symbols, a poster can effectively communicate complex ideas and inspire solidarity and resilience.”
Daniela Melnic, art therapist: “Having a personal interest in art as therapy, I was curious to see how a poster could be used as a tool for personal and social transformation… It all started at “Zpace”, then I continued with myself, from what I felt inside, so I began making some sketches in my notebook, experimenting, adding/removing details… Helped by the facilitators to connect, we all discussed our ideas together, coming to understand what we wanted to express and what we could improve…
In the “Art studio” our small group of girls – Simona, Marina, Sofia, and I – began to put the “stencil” technique into practice… We also received help from the “Kolhoz” collective at “3rd Space studio”, who offered us their workspace to finish our posters. They prepared soup and we ate together. We had pies that we shared there and we could feel the warmth of being a part of a small community (even if we didn’t all know each other) and how the creative process becomes more natural and flows when you feel this. Now that I think about how it was, I feel very grateful for being able to experience these moments together…
I liked the fact that the project offered the opportunity to connect people on a local scale (with their daily experiences and challenges they feel individually and collectively), regardless of context and artistic experience, and provided space and opportunity to say what matters to them through posters…
The workshop helped us realize that change starts with each of us, with every action we take, which may seem small and personal, but can have an impact on the environment we live in. In the context of the war at our country’s border, climate change (we could all feel the heat of last summer, identified by the scientific community as the hottest summer on Earth), rapid urbanization, the drastic increase in traffic and traffic jams in the city – my poster aims to remind people about the bicycle as a sustainable means of transport, which represents a personal choice that can lead to individual benefits (physical, mental, and emotional health), community (social cohesion around the importance of ecological solutions, civic initiatives such as “Critical Mass“, “Chisinau Bicycle Alliance”), and global (counteracting global warming).”
“At the Local Scale” visual arts and graphic design workshop ended with the preparation of an exhibition of the participants’ final works, which were presented to the public as part of the SCA2024 / Alternative Cultural Spaces program (3rd edition), held between October 24-27, 2024.
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At the Local Scale – visual art and graphic design workshop, is organised by the Oberliht Association in partnership with ZHdK, within the framework of the Edu-Art programme / Developing the capacity of independent cultural initiatives through an accessible educational platform project, with the support of Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, of Switzerland and FundAction / hosted by Zpace / media partners: #diez, youth.md, fest.md, agora.md and platzforma.md / technical support: CSCI of RM.
The content of this project does not necessarily reflect the donor’s point of view.