Rivers of the World Welcome to Rivers of the World, the Thames Rivers of the World links participating Festival Trust’s flagship art and education secondary schools in the UK with partner project delivered in partnership with the schools in developing countries around the British Council. world. All pupils go through the same creative process and by doing so, they are The project produces huge artworks that are encouraged to empathise with their partner inspired by river themes. These artworks are students. The 2019 partnerships are: created through an extended workshop process which is contextualised by trips to Newham + Khartoum (Sudan) the local river and other environmental Peterborough + Rabat (Morocco) studies. Under guidance from professional Warrington & Halton + Addis Ababa & artist, the students then work collegiately, Bahir Dar (Ethiopia) often using media and techniques that will Barking & Dagenham + Jericho (Palestine) be new to them. The end result is a single Exeter + Liwonde (Malawi) work of art made with contributions from the Worcestershire + Nairobi (Kenya) whole student group. This year, over two thousand 12 to 14 year olds students were involved with Rivers of the World. The art workshop programme helps them understand the importance of their local waterfront and the environmental challenges it faces. The creative process they go through with visiting artists provides opportunities for them to imagine the potential for art in their lives. Their ideas are given agency through the design, creation and public display of their magnificent artworks. Exhibitions are organised in each of the participating cities. Adrian Evans Director, Thames Festival Trust www.riversoftheworld.org Front Cover: Artwork detail: Barking Abbey School and Wade Deacon High School Opposite: Artwork detail: Fasilo Secondary School with Martha Hardy This page: Pupils from St Angela’s Ursuline School by Shona Watt Where we work 2006-2019 Every year Rivers of the World partners children and young people in the UK with their counterparts around the world. The project has so far been applied in 34 countries enabling international collaboration and dialogue through environmental messages and culture. England Ireland Hungary China India France Turkey Nepal South Korea Morocco Pakistan Egypt USA Thailand Taiwan Mexico United Arab Emirates Palestine Vietnam Bangladesh Sierra Leone Ethiopia Sudan Nigeria Philippines Sri Lanka Kenya Brazil Indonesia Zambia Malawi Argentina South Africa Photos by Adrian Evans 02.03 Lead Artist Shona Watt London based artist Shona Watt has been the lead artist for Rivers of the World since its inception. Shona is known for creating spectacular flags that have been seen worldwide, from the opening of the “ The artist led workshops provide a Millennium Footbridge in London to the opening of unique experience for students to the Melbourne Museum in Australia. After attending experiment without curricular Ravensbourne College of Art she received a Northern constriction. It’s a chance to Arts Award (1996) and a Crafts Council Award (1997). explore unconventional ideas, Major art commissions include The Millennium Footbridge, Hungerford Footbridge, The London Eye using unusual materials and to Sudan & and Melbourne Museum, Australia. work collaboratively in a playful, supportive atmosphere. Newham To paraphrase Samuel Beckett , ‘Try again. Fail. Fail better.’ ” 1 2 3 5 1 Pupils from UTC by Shona Watt 2 Pupils from Ivory Private School by Mohamed Osman 3 Pupils from Chobham Academy by Shona Watt 4 Pupils from St Angela’s Ursuline School by Shona Watt 5 Pupil from Khartoum New School for Boys Photo by Ed Stone by Mohamed Osman 4 04.05 Artist, Sudan Rawan Elbadwi Rawan is a professional artist who is focused on digital art and oil paintings. As a fine and applied arts graduate from Sudan University of Science and Technology, she has worked with various materials such as ceramic mosaics, stained glass and clay sculptures creating a wide collection of artwork. She has also been working as an illustrator, facilitating – through art – the learning of languages for children in both Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Safia, pupil from Chobham Academy She is currently working on a Sudanese comic book that raises awareness of human rights in Sudan and is hoping to expand this internationally in the coming years. Pupil from Chobham Photo by Mohamed Osman Academy by Shona Watt 06.07 Khartoum Sudan The workshops in Khartoum were based around the history, traditions and environment of the River Nile. Students worked with henna, plastic bags and pottery to create their work. 6 “ The workshop was very different from what we usually do in art classes and the students were very happy and excited. They started telling all of their colleagues and friends, and all the students are asking if there will be another workshop they can participate in. We will try to use the concept of Rivers of the World in our classes from now on.” Mrs. Ikhlas, teacher from Khartoum New School for Girls 1 2 3 5 Artwork from El-Shaikh Mustafa El-Amin Boys 1 Pupils from Khartoum School with Rawan New School for Boys Elbadwi 2 Pupil from El-Barrary 6 Detail from Kibeida Model School for Girls International School 3 Pupils from Kibeida 7 Pupils from El-Barrary International School Model School for Girls 4 Pupils from El-Shaikh All photos by Mustafa El-Amin Mohamed Osman, Boys School Darkroom Productions 4 5 7 08.09 Newham UK Using wildlife, trade and city life as inspiration, the students made wonderful work by embossing metal, modelling clay and decorating masks. Dija, pupil from The Royal Docks Community School 1 3 1 Pupils from Little Ilford School by Shona Watt 2 Pupil from Kingsford Community School by Shona Watt Artwork detail: Little Ilford 3 Detail from Kingsford School with Shona Watt Community School 2 10.11 Artworks Sudan Morocco & Peterborough Khartoum New School Ivory Private School El-Barrary Model School Kibeida International Khartoum New School El-Shaikh Mustafa for Boys Ancestors considered the for Girls School for Girls El-Amin Boys School Students focused on the River Nile to be a Students unleashed their Students used plastic Each student chose a city Using pottery and economic activity that transitioning point where imagination by using a bags and paper cups to that is famous because the traditional plates made contributes to domestic they received the paper quilling technique make this artwork River Nile is flowing through from dry palm leaves, the production, such as blessings for new with bright colours in order referencing the pollution it. They portrayed the most students portrayed real farming by the river banks beginnings as well as a to portray all living both in the river and on its famous and distinguished stories that have had an and building tourist resorts. place to wash the evil creatures that can be banks. They also learned buildings, old universities, effect on Sudanese They also researched spirits and illnesses away. found in, around or by the about how factories near facilities and historical communities. Students activities that contribute to Students enjoyed learning River Nile adding to its the Blue Nile throw their monuments. The most shared, and made individuals’ income such about the stories and beauty and heritage. waste in the river causing prominent scenes were reference to, both ancient as tea ladies and each used henna prints chemical pollution. drawn from each city. and recent stories. homemade crafts. and palm leaves to tell a story. Newham 1 2 3 1 Pupil from Al Joulane School by Chahrazad Zahi Little Ilford School Chobham Academy The Royal Docks London Design & St Angela’s Kingsford 2 Pupil from Abi Gunpowder, Dark Forest, Students were given the Community School Engineering UTC Ursuline School Community School Golden Monkey and theme River Culture. Using The school is based in the Students were assigned Working from the theme Students were shown old Houraira School by Eyebrow & Rainflower are recycled metal sheets they redeveloped docklands the theme Polluted River. River City, students made films about The Royal Docks, Chahrazad Zahi some of a vast range of designed and made of East London. Once the They made masks from head pieces from Albert, Victoria & George V 3 Pupils from Amira names for teas from China. headdresses loosely busiest port in the world, recycled materials recycled cardboard. which were the world’s Aicha School by Students explored the vital based on historical the area was marshlands exploring the concept They researched the largest and busiest docks Chahrazad Zahi role of the River Thames in portraits of English royalty. and teeming with wildlife. of metamorphosis. famous London skyline in the 1880s bringing in an the tea trade. They made They fashioned symbolic Working with the theme and the rapid enormous variety of goods 4 Queen Katharine collaged illustrations elements into the pieces River of Life, students development of its iconic from animals for the Royal Academy based on the exotic and as seen in period Tudor made creatures and architecture during the Zoo, to tea for the nation. by Jeni Cairns fantastical names of teas paintings. wildflowers that would past 20 years. The students modelled 5 Pupils from Imam imported into Great Britain have once inhabited clay pieces based on the AlBoukhai School 4 5 during the 19th century. the area. different imports. by Chahrazad Zahi Artist, Morocco Artists, Peterborough Pupils from City of Aïcha El Beloui Jeni Cairns & Stuart Payn Peterborough Academy by Rebecca Tanner Aïcha El Beloui is a Moroccan Casablanca-based Artist and garden designer Jeni Cairns has always been illustrator, graphic designer and creative director. inspired by the natural landscape that has surrounded Trained as an architect, she started her artistic practice in her for most of her life. A childhood spent exploring the response to a visceral need to express her obsession about farmland, lanes and areas reclaimed by nature have left citizenship, public spaces, belonging, freedom and the a lasting impression.