Unaided school children attend art camp

Expressing their solidarity with the Kochi Muziris Biennale, 60 students from unaided city schools today participated in an art camp.
Teach Kochi Art, an association of art teachers at the unaided schools, brought the children to the camp at Fort Kochi's Nehru Park.
After an introduction from Biennale director Bose Krishnamachari and director of programmes Riyas Komu, they took part in an art workshop under the guidance of the 43 teachers, who accompanied them. The group was then given a tour of the installations at the Aspinwall House, and the artwork of late prodigious child talent, Edmund Thomas Clint, which forms part of the Children's Biennale.

Kochi Biennale Foundation has been reaching out to schools with orientation programmes and aims to conduct studies and surveys on education in art institutions. "The biennale had visited our schools with programmes and we have come forward to show our support," said Chandrababu R K, coordinator of Teach Kochi Art, which conducts camps for teachers and students.
"Ernakulam has 65 schools and we aim to bring all the schools over the period of the next three months to see the biennale. When international art comes to Kochi, it is our responsibility to bring our students to view it."
The biennale authorities also invited the teachers to register children for the art camps that take place at Aspinwall as part of the Children's Biennale, under the mentorship of established artists. Two camps have already been held, facilitated by internationally-renown sculptor Balan Nambiar and the biennale's youngest exhibiting artist Unnikrishnan C.

"It is nice to have the backing of art teachers for the biennale," said Komu. "We are proud to offer a three-day camp for teachers under Balan Nambiar."
The children-aged from 3 to 20-were awed by the exhibition. "Most of the art makes you think and gives you new ideas," said Aparna K R, a class 9 student. 'It is interesting to see how each artist thinks in a unique way. I am definitely going to search on Youtube and find out more about new art'.