All the work and play of the imagining mind now become a story...a story with wings and a life of its own.
And, oh the stories our imaginers created!
Indira and the volunteer corps constructed giant stand-up and pop-up books from the children's work, which flowed from the hand of our little writer into the rest of the big room.
This one is The Gorilla Ramón, by Ceiba Marilud and Maia Ilmar.
Loosely translated, it says "There once was a gorilla who wanted to live in an igloo. So he escaped from his cage and went to Alaska. He was running around until he saw an igloo, jumped for joy, and spent a few days. After he got too cold, he wanted to return to the city."
This one, by Reyes Yahir and Nayar Rodrigues, two fourth grade boys, is The Penguin in Love. Here's an excerpt:
"In the sea, a penguin met a witch. The penguin fell in love with her because she was very beautiful...her face, her lips, her eyes..."
The children weren't the only ones who created wonderful books. Visiting artist Kim Howard used the illustrations of the children, backgrounds by local painters, and her own art and creativity to write A Magic Circus Among Friends, Un Circo Magico Entre Amigos. The book will be published soon and will be for sale on the entreamigos website (shippable to the USA, or so I've heard). I'm delighted to be able to preview for you some of its exquisite pages.
Above the installation of big books, Indira and friends imagined another, which revolved above a display of the children's handmade accordion books. These pieces were all inspired by the same storybook which tells the tale of a pea who doesn't like being the same as all the other peas on the plant, and so ventures forth to find his personal identity.
At the end of this perfect story, shunned by the other peas for his elephant nose, his tiger stripes, and his peacock tail, the little pea plants himself and grows into a pea plant upon which each pea is a unique and colorful individual.
Stories with Wings gave many people in our community, young and older alike, an opportunity to express our own unique individuality. I believe this installation continues to have a life of its own. It may be moving on, so others in Mexico can see it. I'll let you know when I'm certain.
In the meantime, I have more photos to show you, including those of the school children visiting the entreamigos museum in the following days...which means, of course, a Part 3.
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