These primary school students expressed themselves through their drawings which they hung on the clothes lines
La Grande Lessive, French for ‘great laundry’, is a one-day international art event. It was born from the idea of hanging out clothes after washing, thus opening the way to a new approach to art exhibition.
This event has grown into an art phenomenon, which is conceived as a means to tighten social links and trigger an interest and a desire to create art. No professional skills are required. For the first time in Guyana, the event took place at the Georgetown International Academy Basketball Court located on Pike and Delhi streets, Prashad Nagar, March 29.
On that day, it was also held in more than 36 countries. Participants expressed themselves through art in drawing, painting and paper craft. These were then displayed on clothes lines pinned with wooden pegs for the community to see. More than ten schools in and out of Georgetown participated, and were excited to hang their art on the clotheslines.
Art lecturer at the University of Guyana and the event’s coordinator, Michael Khan explained the event to the students and parents who were very interested in knowing what La Grande Lessive was all about, since it was never held here previously.
Secondary school students also displayed their artistic ability
Khan, who works part-time as a clown at children parties and who has a profound love for children and art, also told stories and jokes.
“The art event has been held for the past seven years all over the world, and fortunately for Guyana we are doing it for the first time. The one-day event was made possible by French national Tiphanie Oliviere-Reis, Georgetown International Academy in collaboration with Emeritus Professor Doris Rogers Art Programme. It is celebrated on the same day in more than 36 countries, and the same is done in every country. It is not a competition. It’s an environment where children and adults can draw, paint and hang their art on a clothesline. Children leave with an experience knowing they were part of an international initiative happening on the same day,” Khan told Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.
Member of Georgetown International Academy’s Parent Teacher Association and a French national, Tiphanie Oliviere-Reis, proposed the idea of holding the event as she was familiar with it already. She told Sunday Magazine that the focus was for the children to express themselves through art and for them to know that art is everywhere and that anyone can be an artist. She described the event as “a museum in an open-air place” which saw children less than 2 years old, teenagers and parents drawing and exhibiting their art on clotheslines.
The other scheduled La Grande Lessive would be held once again in October of this year. (Taken from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
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