From August 7 to September 25, 2021, everyone will have an opportunity to visit and participate in the interactive exhibition “To See. To Think. To Create” organized by Valmiera Secondary School of Design and Art at the Exhibition Hall of Valmiera Museum.
The creative team of Valmiera Secondary School of Design and Art teachers includes Liene Jakobsone, Diāna Kokoreviča, Krista Jūlija Kreišmane, Kristīne Zemļicka Brālēna, Karīna Vītiņa, Inese Andersone, Dace Brizauska, Gija Karāne, Ilze Ērgle Vanaga, Inese Mētriņa.
The exhibition is an interactive adventure allowing both children and adults to become co-authors of artworks and to participate in the overall creative process. The exhibition is conceptually designed as a classroom, where a visitor, following assignments and advice given by a teacher, can enjoy the role of a student. The task of every visitor is to experiment, to gain new experience and to become an active participant instead of being just a passive observer to get to know the creative process.
The exhibition consists of 5 assignments which are conceptually based on the principle of design thinking model – research (to see), problem identification (to think), idea development (to create), prototyping (to use) and testing (to know). Drawing parallels with the upcoming anniversary of Valmiera Secondary School of Design and Art, the central role in the exhibition is given to teachers emphasizing the role of teachers in the education process and, referring to the teachers’ works exhibited there, teachers are perceived as full-fledged artists in all the meanings of the word within the framework of the exhibition. Inese Mētriņa, Principal of Valmiera Secondary School of Design and Art, says, “This 5-year period before the school’s 50th anniversary is the beginning of an important journey, therefore an appropriate theme of the year – a teacher – has been chosen. Last year, we had to organize distance learning, in which teachers were at the centre of everything – skilfully teaching and inspiring young people through visual means. The greatest value of the school is its teachers who form the style, features and traditions of the school. The 50th anniversary is an important point of reference making us think further of the school’s development, it is a stop where we can understand the direction we are heading. It is important for the school to provide high-quality education from the pre-school to the old age. Likewise, in the exhibition, each of us is an essential element in the creative process – regardless of our circumstances.”
The unexpected change of roles during the process of the exhibition raises questions – What kind of things or people inspires or stirs us up? Does a teacher help you discover a new way of looking at things? Are we all artists deep in our hearts? There is no single answer – only 100001 variations on the topic, which is also the most important part of the creative process. It’s a permission to be free and spontaneous without thinking about the result in the right/wrong categories.
