ENCOMPASS: Art Across Borders

This term we are delighted to be launching a new CPD programme for teachers, developed and delivered in partnership with the Sainsbury Centre, in which we will explore the work of global majority artists in our collection.

In each of the online sessions, we will focus on an individual artist by presenting their work, hearing from them directly wherever possible, and then engaging in discussion and related practical activities which could be shared with your students.

We intend to raise awareness of artists from diverse backgrounds who may not yet be on your radar, whose work we believe would be a valuable addition to your classroom practice. As well as supporting ethnic minority students in the UK to explore their own cultural identity, engaging with these artists could contribute to an improved understanding of cultural difference for the school and wider community.

Launch event with Everyday Racism.

We will launch the series with an online event on Tuesday 20 January, at 4:15pm, with presentations from staff at both institutions.

To reduce teachers’ fears around talking about race and cultural identity in the classroom, will also offer a workshop led by Everyday Racism whose mission is to provide accessible education and training, developing safe spaces to learn and the confidence to impact change.

Artist workshops

• Tuesday 10 February | 4.15 to 5.45pm | Tesfaye Urgessa

Urgessa’s huge dynamic paintings connect Ethiopian iconography and a deep fascination with traditional Western figurative painting to explore intertwined representations of race and the politics of identity.

Urgessa will join us to discuss his practice with Sainsbury Centre curator Ken Paranada, focusing on what students in the UK can learn from his work.

This will be followed by a practical workshop led by James Metsoja with activities and ideas relating to Urgessa’s work to take back to the classroom.

• Tuesday 17 March | 4.15 to 5.45pm | Wangechi Mutu

Designed for teachers and educators, the session will feature work by Kenyan American artist Wangechi Mutu.

Tania Moore, Chief Curator at the Sainsbury Centre, will present and discuss Mutu’s work, exploring themes of the representation of Black female identity, ecology, and human and non-human relationships.

This will be followed by a hands-on workshop led by Sarah Longworth-West, a Senior Lecturer here at Norwich. The workshop will explore ways to engage with Mutu’s work, with ideas you can take back to the classroom.

• Thursday 2 July | 4.15 – 5.45pm | Rana Begum

Join us on Thursday 2nd July for our next ENCOMPASS workshop. Designed for teachers and educators, the session will focus on the work of Bangladeshi-born contemporary artist Rana Begum, beginning with a short introduction to Begum’s diverse and inspiring practice, with Sainsbury Centre Learning Programme Manager Becca Sturgess.

This will be followed by a practical workshop lead by Sainsbury Centre Associate Artist Hannelore Smith adopting Rana Begum’s playful approach to materials and experimenting with how we can explore colour, light, reflection and form through a range of creative activities including paper manipulation, drawing, frottage and light projection.

Please get in touch if you would like more information, or to keep in touch to hear about future sessions in the series: scvagroupvisits@uea.ac.uk