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Teaching Children Art with Imagination and Passion

SHARJAH — British artist Sacha Jafri believes that art can make an incredibly powerful impact. So when he asked the students of Scholars International Academy to give him ideas to put on the canvas, he didn’t flinch one bit when a six-year-old suggested he should draw an imaginary monument in Paris, a fire breathing white dragon, unicorns or aliens from another galaxy dropping trees on the earth to cure global warming.

He gave them hi-fives, and encouraged the students, all of them aged between 4-10 years, to give him ideas without limiting their imagination. With British, French and Indian origins Sacha Jafri is one of the most exciting painters of the British contemporary scene and he gave students of Scholars International Academy, Sharjah a six-hour workshop, and the opportunity to paint a canvas with him.

“Give me ideas, ideas that make you happy, sad, love or dream about,” Jafri told the students.

Quoting Picasso, Jafri said, “I could paint portraits like Rembrandt at the age of eight, but it took 40 years to paint like a child. I began to work with children 4-5 years ago by conducting various workshops for kids. You can learn much more from children. They do not have an agenda, they paint the truth.” Jafri who is now staying in Dubai is working on his latest project ‘Middle East before Oil’ which will be a composition of 34 paintings that once done will be exhibited in seven countries all over the world.

Jafri is set to travel through the various countries in the Middle East and the Arab covering Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen and Qatar among others.

He will also be touring war-torn places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza.

Other than the 34 paintings that will go on exhibition Jafri will also be doing on-the-spot painting workshops with children from the Middle East, which will later be auctioned for $12-15 million. All proceeds from the auction will go to Nelson Mandela’s charityfoundation, the Red Crescent Society, START, Al Noor and the Sharjah Humanitarian Services.

Impressed by Jafri’s idea in ‘Middle East before Oil’, His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah and the Supreme President of the University of Sharjah lent a studio for the artist in Sharjah.

“The Middle East as a region is deeply misunderstood and here in the UAE, people are going through a major identity crisis. Everything is becoming all about brands. In fact, the financial crisis is the best thing that has happened to this country. People are stopping to think,” said Jafri.

He added that Dubai has a cosmopolitan culture, and except for high street galleries, there was a lack of good art museums in Dubai.

In comparison, Sharjah had the Modern Art Museum which provides a good platform for the burgeoning art scene.

Speaking to Lisa Gibson, the Vice Principal of Scholars International Academy, “Sacha’s art and vision agrees with the school’s ethos. We want our students to think independently, and creatively. And this workshop is both an educational platform for students as well as teachers in the school.”

South African Mandy Parker, whose children study in the school said, “My kids, Megan and Brendan are extremely happy that they are here.

They love to paint, and the artist is an expert, he really knows what he is doing. He can teach them much more
than I can.”

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE