A very short introduction to Halloween

On 31^st of October the citizens of many European and non-European countries were celebrating the All Saints Day. That is why on 28st of October I prepared a very short presentation about Halloween. There were many various traditions to choose, however the presentation was performed for the children attending English language lessons, that is why I have decided to focus on how this eve is celebrated in particular English-speaking countries. I hope that after this brief introduction children will be able to explain what is the history of various Halloween customs like the masquerade, trick-or-treating or bobbling apples. However the most important and the most entertaining part of this meeting was the story of Jack O'lantern and a short instruction of carving the pumpkins. The presentation was performed in two groups and they were both (as you can see on the photos) very active and willing to take the initiative in making the lantern.

Special thanks for all my coworkers (Darinka, Kakha and Nikos) for providing all the materials and a very exemplary attitude in carving.:)

The ecological initiative

SIQA is slowly settling down in the new office. Step by step we are organizing our working space seeking for the best and the most functional solutions. However it is not the only way of making our new location more cozy and familiar. Encouraged (strongly motivated, speaking diplomatically) by Inga, we have finally organized a cleaning event which have been planned for the last week. On Sunday (23.11.11), with the support of a few local volunteers, armed in safety gloves and plastic bags we cleaned the space in the back of our office. Although this area is not visible from the front, it was important for us and our quests to have a nice view from the balcony and what is more, we felt personally responsible for this matter. That is why we have quickly got rid of all the rubbish we had found on our way.

We owe the best thanks to all the people who came to helps us. We wouldn’t do it so smoothly without your support. For all who did not visited us that day: shame on you and regret, it was a real fun.;)

Graffiti

An empty wall

The history of the artistic contacts between Poland and Georgia begins in XIX century. However, it still evolves and takes new, modern shapes and forms. On Wednesday 12-th of October, the Polish sculptress – Izabela Tarasewicz made the graffiti on the wall in the backyard of the University of Illia Chavchavadze. It was a creative solution aimed in using an empty and wasted urban space. The whole project was the result of an friendly agreement between the Dean of the Faculty of Art and Science and the Polish Embassy in Georgia who had invited miss Tarasewicz and bought all the materials. What is the most important, this backyard is one of the main places, where students spend their free time between classes. That is why they were not only invited to help, but also to design the whole project, using their fantasy and imagination. Izabela who as a head of the event was very supportive with her skills and advices, did not interrupted in the ideas of the students and gave them literally a free hand. Therefore, there was one condition: she preferred to use only simplest, abstract, geometrical forms. There was no other rule beyond this. That is why the project were lead in very dynamic (sometimes chaotic) way, without any particular plan, what was one of its advantages.

Iza is showing how to make the first figures 

Students who came to the university expecting an ordinary activities have found a bunch of Polish people doing the graffiti on the wall. They were asking many questions, curious about the event. The best answer was to give them sprays and encourage them to use their imagination. They were surprised, but interested in the idea and willing to participate in the project. Few boys and girls have gladly used this tempting opportunity for making a graffiti on the university wall without any objections or restrictions. Some of them have been working with us for a few hours, some of them had their own duties and stayed with us only for a while. What is more, two diplomats working for the Polish Embassy in Georgia came to support us as well, they took off their jackets, set their shoulders to the wheel and helped us to fill the wall with squares, triangles and circles. This entertaining event can be concerned as a sort of performance as well. We were interested what will appear on the wall in the situation of an almost complete freedom. The flag of Georgia was one of the first images. Graphic representations of faces and hands came in the second place. All final corrections were made by Iza, you may see the final effect on the pictures above.

Izabela Tarasewicz was born in Białystok (Poland) in 1981. In 2008 she graduated from the Faculty of Sculpture and Performing Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań. She works not only with sculptures, but also with installations, drawings and performance actions. In her works she uses plaster, clay, wax, furs, animal fat, processed wood, wire and nutritive products. She is also the author of workshops for children of the refugees from Chechnya and Georgia that took place in Arsenal Gallery in Białystok in 2009-2010.