Art & Activism

On Wednesday, Laila led our group in a creative workshop on the role of art and artists in activism. We also visited a building that was destroyed in the war but in which Most Mira hopes to build a future youth centre.

Laila inspired us to write about the conflict, memorials we had seen, and the potential for a different future.

Check out a few of our first drafts of poems from the workshop…

Reflecting on Ado’s house, Kevlijani, 22/07/15

Before the house was surrounded by trees, Now the trees live in the house, Going forward they will live in harmony.

By Asger, Caterina, Tara

At first a field was here village children herded cows one of them had built a house and ten years later other children tore it down.

Today Ado comes to find his house is full of birds instead of bricks he sees blackberries as walls he smells the scent of grass and lavender he thinks of graffiti on his garage wall.

Tomorrow he’ll see the sun shining through his open roof graffiti on the walls will be signposts to a better future.

By Kemal, Stephan, Selma

This was the site where pillars were shatters Where walls and windows were destroyed and a family slept in the past

This is the site Where some one’s bedroom has no roof Where grass levels the floor And birds sleep in their nest

This is the site Where murals come to life Where windows display a peaceful life.

By Tara, Nick, Maja

The memorial Remember victims through art, Didn’t you get that memo? Victims remember through art.

By Asger

The memorial First there was peace. It was full of trees, birds, and sounds carried around by wind.

Then people came with their guns, and the guns destroyed peace. The sound of peace was replaced by the sound of other people running away.

Then there was peace again. State sponsored peace, and new people came with an image of a new community to remember not peace but war.

By Kemal

The memorial Bound by distance, carved in stone, Hope was non existent Folly of their makers was Ideology of sorts

By Stefan

The memorial The names of people lost Sit etched in stone creating A physical space But this space is really reflecting The gaping hole left in their community.

By Nick

The memorial Memorials are much more about the future than the history of the past. They trigger different emotions depending on the audience of the memorial, come trigger.