Embroidery middle school outside Oslo

A new year started with embroidery with close to 300 students at a middle school outside Oslo. A school in a new beautiful building with lots of light, open space and students interested in the project with many questions, reflections and engagement.

The last day at the school was spent helping a group of the students to exhibit the embroidered labels, 520 labels in total. Our designated space was in the hallway. 10 students participated, some ironing the labels, some making sketches for how to install and others writing a short text to present the work. Although I find the embroidery workshops interesting, something different happens when the students are thinking of how to present the labels. To hear how they reflect, how they think of symbols to express these thoughts are both moving and inspiring.

While installing we are continuously interrupted, in a good way, by fellow students looking for their label and commenting on the progress. The group started off by wanting to create a symbol for women that could lead into other readings. When they had installed their original plan, more labels were still to be pinned. One student looked at his hand pointing to the lines in it and suggested the rest of the labels could form lines on the wall, resembling the lifeline in his hand. Following that idea, soon lead to read other interpretations...these lines could be seen as maps as well...

Thank you students for your beautiful minds and ways to express and think.

Lise