Probably the most effective ways to get the eye of young people regarding essential issues that they face is thru their peers.
That’s what students from The Lodge School’s Art Department are hoping to realize through the use of murals to not only beautify the varsity plant but additionally share powerful messages about children’s rights and responsibilities, in addition to female empowerment amongst the scholar body.
At a recent ceremony to unveil the murals on the Massiah Street, St. John school, student artists Donelia Nicholls and Felicity Pollard hoped the murals would encourage and encourage other students.
Nicholls’ artwork is titled “Female Empowerment” and it was painted in the women’ bathroom. This location, she explained, was not chosen by happenchance. In reality, following a discussion with a friend while in lower sixth form, Nicholls said she learned that the lavatory was where most individuals went to be alone or once they felt lonely. Hence, she selected to position her mural in there so it may very well be viewed somewhat as a non-intrusive counsellor who shares encouraging messages and it directs students to agencies that might higher serve their needs.
The piece depicts females of various ethnicities and body types portrayed within the two places where students spend most of their time – at home and at college. As you enter the
bathroom, you’re greeted by females with different ethnicities and ranging attributes. Nicholls believed the intimacy of the feminine bathroom was place to succeed in young females in a quiet moment. Also, the females’ bathroom was the right place to remind them of their price. The mural was painted on the available surfaces which were the partitions and the stall doors. Messages were painted on the doors and over the sinks with the aim of giving advice and encouragement to the young women about issues to assist them as they grow.
“I included a self-portrait in order that other students would see a peer talking with them, someone who has had her own personal trials and struggles but never gave up. I hope that they may see someone sharing from the center, and never an individual speaking right down to them, because we as young people are likely to feel that adults don’t understand and that they trivialise our concerns,” she said
“Painting this mural was hard. Covid was an actual pain. Practising art requires lots of dedication, commitment and sacrifice so almost daily we were the last people to depart school. However the message isn’t only essential to others, it jogged my memory daily I worked on it of my very own value and that my value isn’t determined by anyone however it relies on the worth God created me with, as I’m created within the image of God,” Nicholls added.
Pollard’s mural is titled, “Children’s Rights are Human Rights” and it highlights a series of freedoms. These include: The proper to an education, health care, justice, play, travel, the faith of selection and nationhood. With that said, she hopes to realize three foremost goals through her work.
“To remind children that they too have human rights, and so they shouldn’t allow others to misuse them . . . . Secondly, I wish to provide the message that although these rights exist, children even have the responsibility that comes with rights. So, just as you could have the fitting to
an education, you could have the responsibility to do the homework and to attend class at a
punctual time. Lastly, I need children to know that they need to never take their rights for
granted because there are essential measures of self-worth and so they provide you with freedom and that’s what is so essential,” Pollard said.
The pieces, which were a part of the Creative Project, took roughly three months to be accomplished with the scholars sacrificing their Easter break to make sure it was done. They thanked their teachers Jean Prescott-Bullen, Fay Martindale, Theona Hinds, families and peers for his or her encouragement. (KC)
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