On Saturday 13 May, a group of Make It Better students visited our Finalists Exhibition for a special workshop with two of our Hong Kong-based finalists from The 2023 Sovereign Asian Art Prize: Sophie Cheung and Li Ning.
The session enabled the children to learn about new artistic techniques directly from the artists, while sitting amongst the artworks themselves.
Erasing Time, Eraser Story with Sophie Cheung
Sophie’s workshop was inspired by her artwork, ‘Erasing News: Stone & Plant Variation Under the Flyover’. The work uses newspaper ink and erasers which undergo a transformative process when rubbed together.
Participants were invited to explore erasers as a medium, using their senses to consider the texture, shape, colour, smell, sound, and visual markings erasers can make. Through the activity, the children worked as a team, engaged in sensory exploration, and made thoughtful observations on their experience.
Sophie said of the workshop: “the eraser is not simply personal stationary for correction, it is a children’s toy for sensory exploration. This is a type of heuristic play with an object, allowing children to discover art in their own way.
The activity produced some very impressive and poetic works. They transformed erasers into crystal stones, robots, slices of sunset light… in their creative ways! In ‘Art as Experience’ (1934), John Dewey suggests that “the aesthetics or undergoing phase of experience is receptive.” I am so delighted that the children could be motivated to produce receptive perspectives on making their own eraser art, and it could be continuing at home!”
Printmaking with Li Ning
Li Ning’s shortlisted artwork, ‘Hybrid’, also served as the inspiration for his workshop. To create the work, he printed on coloured Gampi paper, then added details with ink and spray-paint. In the workshop, Li Ning imparted his specialist knowledge on engraving and printmaking to the children.
Of the experience, he said: “this workshop offered me the chance to meet kids I would not normally meet within my daily life. I believe we can learn from each other’s perspectives towards different things, and their unique outlooks have become stimulation and inspiration to my creativity.”
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We would like to share our gratitude with Sophie and Li Ning for leading the sessions, and to the teachers for their facilitation of the workshop. We would also like to give special thanks to Synergy for sponsoring delicious snack packs for the children.
