IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE // #1 SHANTHI ROAD RESIDENCY // BANGALORE // INDIA // 2012

This project was made with the support of the Asian New Zealand Foundation and the NEG School urban slum school, Cox Town funded by Seva Sachin
This work looks closely at the narrative of storytelling and migration as a shared common experience. This work in collaboration with Jagruthi draws out the imagination of standard I II and III years focusing on the imaginary places they dream to go to. In teaching students to see themselves as storytellers, and by fostering a classroom culture in which all stories are valuable connections to the human experience, we, as a community of learners, unite ourselves in an ancient tradition, and in the telling of our stories, thereby pass the gift on to others. Creating a visual language of our thoughts and personal experiences provide the opportunity to share them with others. Therefore, the telling of our stories becomes powerful in its ability to convey the experience to others, in its ability to connect us to the human experience, while simultaneously having the ability to teach us about ourselves, or dreams and our own inner connections.

The objective with the children was to provide or rather facilitate a space for imagination in relation to processing their current emotive and physical states of wellbeing. As creative output generates an awareness or position of allowing the subconscious to flow in terms of releasing feelings and emotions that otherwise have limited outlet. This is a space without judgment or criticism where imagination can run wild and thoughts, ideas, fears, and experiences can be shared and manifested in real ways. Hopefully providing a space for healing and sharing for these personal imaginary landscapes and dreamings.