Brila Youth Summer Creativity Camp Edition
July 2014, Montreal
The CRUM was an invited guest at Brila Summer Creativity Camp. The camp is based on a model for teaching philosophy to children. This means that kids from age 6-12 are introduced to imaginative tools that help us wrestle with the ethical dilemmas of everyday life. In the week that the CRUM led a two-hour workshop, the kids had been learning about POWER through discussions of justice and workshops on comic book super heroes! To help along their exploration of the theme of power, the CRUM decided to make an envelope edition on the theme of ELECTRICITY.
What is power? Energy? Strength? Authority? Ability to influence change? Freedom of speech? What are the responsibilities of the artist? Is it fair to do whatever you want? The Petite enveloppe urbaine has power because as a zine its message is repeated multiple times across geographic space to many different people. It also brings the projects of many different people together so their individual voices have more power as a group.
The theme of this issue is electricity because ELECTRICITY is a metaphor for all of the different meanings of POWER. The CRUM and the campers brainstormed metaphors as a symbolic means to convey messages through images. So, “power” could be represented by household appliances such as a TV, or even the bio-luminescence of deep water fish!
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- This is a flat screen TV with a media personality. Age group: 6-8
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- Participants fill out the names of the people in their group on the envelope. Age group: 6-8
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- CRUM asks is there power in print advertising for electronics?
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- 1980s mobile revolution? CRUM example of a 3D multiple made from recycled materials
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- Using stamps to traverse space…Age group: 6-8
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- Age group: 6-8
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- Flowers soak up energy from the sun so they can grow. Age group: 6-8
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- These are trumpets made of pipe cleaners, string and paperclips. The paperclips move so you can play the instrument! Age group: 6-8
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- Superheros! Age group: 6-8
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- Building televisions… notice the pom-pom and tinfoil gaming console… Age group: 6-8
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- Fluorescent paper is electrically bright! Age group: 6-8
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- Bio-luminescent pipe cleaner bugs! Age group: 9-12
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- Age group: 9-12
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- Are the kinetics of living things a kind of energy, electricity and power? Age group: 9-12
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- This is a kitten in a space sleeping bag listening to an iPod. Age group: 9-12
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- Tracing imaging technologies… Age group: 9-12
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- Visionary power? Age group: 9-12
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- 1980s mobile revolution? CRUM example of a 3D multiple made from recycled materials
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- iPhones, are we “living the life of dreams”? Age group: 9-12
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- Age group: 9-12
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- Age group: 9-12
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- Age group: 9-12
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- The power of chance operations? Age group: 9-12
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- CRUM demo of stamping, tracing and stenciling letters. M is for music! W is for sound waves!
The CRUM also introduced the campers to a variety of materials and techniques that allow you to create multiple “copies” of objects and messages. Collage, tracing, stencils, stamps were all explored as ways to repeat forms. The campers each made 4 of the same “thing” to put in an envelope edition they would exchange between a group of 4 friends. They each took home an ELECTRICITY envelope containing 1 iteration of their own project, and 3 from their friends. This activity explored the theme of “power” through the material process of message multiplication and circulation.
The CRUM would like to thank the brilliant enthusiastic Brila kids! The amazing group facilitators and volunteers in the purple shirts! And of course Natalie Fletcher, intrepid Director of Brila Youth Projects!
Brila Youth Projects
www.brila.org
CRUM 