The workshop will examine emotions and feelings via artistic techniques. We will try to answer the following questions: What is an emotion? How do we express emotions? What are the methods of expressing emotions in art?

The mask will be seen here as a metaphor for emotion, building up layers and hiding. We will discuss the meanings of the mask throughout history and the importance of material, colour, line in expressing emotion in art.

Working in pairs, the children will try to consider how emotions can be 'translated' into the language of art through a variety of materials and visual techniques. The masks the children will make can be of all shapes and sizes. At the end of the activity, each pair will present their work and the other participants will try to guess what emotion the mask represents.

TASK: Work in pairs. Each person will draw one emotion/feeling (e.g. fear, joy, love). The task will be to create a mask that combines these two emotions. Working in pairs, individuals will try to think about how emotions can be 'translated' into the language of art through a variety of materials and visual techniques. The masks the children will make can be of any shape and size. At the end of the activity, each pair will present their work and the other participants will try to guess what emotion the mask represents.

COURSE OF THE WORKSHOP:

• Introduction to the topic of the task to be performed and the theme of emotions and masks. Questions: What is an emotion? How do we express emotions? We will talk about emotion in art. Several works by different artists (mainly Expressionists) will be shown as examples.
• A discussion about what a mask is, the mask metaphor and a symbol.
• A short imagination exercise.
• Dividing the group into pairs and giving a creative task. Drawing of emotions. Participants decide on the number of masks. The mask created will have to represent the emotions/feelings assigned during the drawing of lots.

The workshop will be held on the premises of an exhibition by the artist Karolina Balcer “Happy Family, Home Counselling”, which the participants will tour on this occasion.

Moderator: Stefaniya Abbasova

Registration: joanna.tekla@arsenal.art.pl; phone 692 202 068

Stefaniya Abbasova – b. 1996 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Artist and educator working in Poznań. An alumnus of the University of Arts Poznań, now a Ph.D. student at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań. A specialist in art education and painting, she takes her inspiration from nature, cultures, trips, poetry, science, music, literature, philosophy, and foreign languages. Never tired of self-pursuit as an artist, educator and human being.