The primary idea behind this workshop was to make the children aware of ways in which figures of the saints are represented in folk art. Through direct contact with woodcut blocks, sculptures and paintings in our Gallery of Folk Art, the children discovered how these artists once viewed the world. During the discussion accompanying the practical activities, the pupils looked for attributes that represented virtues and strengths; the “good sides” of the subjects of these works (their saintliness, martyrdom, sacrifice and purity).
These observations from the Gallery were put into practice in the second part of the workshop. Each student had to use their own body to make a “living sculpture” that would convey a quality of their own, a strength, or an attribute that differentiates them. For this task they used various articles they had amassed beforehand, which served as the attributes in their “sculptures”. The freedom of expression evinced by the students and the positive energy they generated prompted their teachers to join in with their own “living sculptures”. Once again, working with the school from Tyniec proved to be an immensely satisfying experience for all concerned.
The workshop was devised and prepared by Barbara Mołas.