MASK's NEWS

25 August 2010

25th August- 25th September 2010

Exhibition of the artwork by MASK's children.

'KENYAN YOUNG ART'

at the Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art, RaMoMA

2nd Parklands Avenue, 

Nairobi, Kenya

This is the first ever exhibition of emerging young Kenyan artists at RaMoMA. Four years ago, MASK began a living revolution of Arts in Africa. We engage with young people in rural Kenya and provide them with opportunities to discover their artistic creativity. We welcome all levels of creativity, but some true talents have already emerged!!!

26 May 2010

The Nation, the leading Kenyan newspaper has visited our schools in Naivasha and published an article about MASK and how its works affects children.  We are very proud! Congratulations, MASK!

11-15 April 2010

MASK children's artwork is exhibited at Siragusa Gallery in Chicago, USA,

by MASK's Artists4Aid artist Georgiana Phua who spent 4 weeks in Kenya as a volunteer teaching art to our kids.

March 2010

We run workshop at our Makutano Primary School " What makes a good teacher?"

Children's' replied that good teacher is that who: explain well, teach good things, teach children to share food, who does not punish for mistakes, does not beat pupils, does not get angry and shout, finish the lessons, give advice and give homework. 

March 2010.  Teacher training workshop at MASK's Laikipia Center

Seven schools teachers, who help us to run our weekly art clubs at the MASK's schools, attended our teachers' workshop and party!  read more (coming)

March-April 2010

PAINTING SOUNDS!!

We run abstract art workshops.  We have bought a huge drum and invited children to paint sounds. They produced fantastic results!!! read more (coming soon)

January-February 2010

Mobile Art School in Kenya, MASK, is showing artwork by Kenyan children on a subject of HOPE
at the invitation of The Kenyan Embassy in Paris
from 19 January to 18 February 2010
read more on UNESCO's page about MASK

(click on invitation -right - to enlarge)
Private view is on 19 January at 5-7pm
in a presence of the Ambassador E. Odembo

The show will be open to public Mon-Fri, 4-7pm

The exhibition is organised in collaboration with
The International Institute for Educational Planning of UNESCO

Adress: 3 rue Freycinet, 75116 PARIS
Metro: Alma-Marceau (exit: President Wilson)

(click on invitation to enlarge)

 

November 2009

Due to its popularity, MASK's network of art clubs grows rapidly!

Many THANKS to our incredible volunteers: Thomas Kanyoko, John Githiri and Helen Gichuli!

They have been immensely committed to MASK's work and, driven by their own enthusiasm and strong believe in MASK's work has - since March 2009 - set up 10 more art clubs in Laikipia and Naivasha regions. 

They also suggest to organize for an annual competition among these schools, which we will do!

IMASK has now 15 art clubs which run weekly art workshops for their children. They are:
 

Githirwa Art Club

Safe House Art Club

Street Boys Art Club

Lake Naivasha Art Club
Lariak Art Club

Sipili Deaf Art Club

Mirera Art Club 

Bondeni Primary School

Makutano Primary School

Kiwanja Primary School

Rubiri Primary School
Kaharati Primary School
Young Roses Primary School

Shinning Stars Primary School
Kio Primary School
 

13 October 2009,  UNESCO General Conference, Paris

MASK exhibits children paintings at UNESCO during its General Conference.

July 2009

"One Year After The Conflict" at IIEP/UNESCO, Paris, 20-31 July 2009

Private view and MASK's presentation is on 24 July 2009 from 5 to 7pm.  Director Mark Bray of UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning will be hosting the event.  A cocktail will be held throughout.
IIEP UNESCO, 7-9, rue Eugène-Delacroix, 75116 Paris, France

In early 2008, MASK worked with child victims of the Kenyan post-election violence in displaced persons' camps in Nakuru town and schools in Laikipia. Children had been traumatised by witnessing people being killed and their houses set alight. They hid in the bush, scared and hungry for days. Some lost their parents and now live with their siblings in over-crowded huts with their relatives who cannot feed them or pay for their schooling. In the refugee camps, a few possessions covered by a plastic sheet have become their homes. 

In 2009, one year after the conflict, children expressed their experiences and hopes for the future. The wounds are still open. Children want to go back to their lands and rebuild their houses. As a result of the conflict, famine and hunger became widespread in the country. This became the biggest concern to children, and they strongly expressed their daily struggle for food in their paintings.

The exhibition 'One Year After The Conflict' is to be shown at The International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) UNESCO on 20-31 July 2009, and during the UNESCO General Conference in Paris in October 2009. Alla Tkachuk, MASK's founding director, will give a short talk about MASK to the participants of IIEP/UNESCO Summer School 2009 on 24th July.

Just see what our kids at our Githirwa School Art Club do!

Thankyou to MASK volunteer teacher Tamara Berbee to bring this in our children.

March 2009

MASK exhibited children's work at the Kenya Society Annual Lunch at the Royal Over-Seas League in London on 26 March and presented Dr. Sally Kosgei, Honourable Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology an album of children's work "ONE YEAR AFTER THE CONFLICT".  see Art Gallery

23rd February, 2009

"Children, Art and Africa" at The Kenya High Commission

Alla Tkachuk, the founder of the Mobile Art School in Kenya (MASK) had given a talk about MASK and had also exhibited paintings by Kenyan children on Monday, 23rd February, 2009,  at The Kenya High Commission, 45 Portland Place, London W1, organised by the Kenya Society

Letter of Support

We are happy to associate ourselves with the Mobile Art School in Kenya and its founders. This programme is the first of its kind in this country. Though the ministry of Education has some small allocation on art in schools the schools hardly utilize these facilities preferring to concentrate only on the examinable subjects. We hope that this programme can be extended to most parts of the country.
 Francis Apollos
 Executive Director, Center for Conflict Resolution - Kenya, NGO

January 2009

MASK on local K24 TV Station

On 27 January, K24 Local television station aired a programme about MASK and the children of Lariak Art Club and how art can help to build peace between communities.  We will try to put a video of this on our website soon.  We are very proud and congratulate the children!

Educational Film on Poetry

MASK intends to make an educational film on poetry.  Poetry is a compulsory subject in Kenyan secondary schools. It is one of the feared subjects which most students believe to be hard/ difficult to understand. As such we intend to demystify poetry. We are quite sure the film will reach many schools.  We’ve already identified ten poems that we are going to dramatize all composed by Kanyoko T. Kahari and we’ve already started practicing them.

Camcorder appeal!

We need your old camcorder in working order to donate to the children of MASK.  They are making films about their day to day lives and want to show them to the local communities.  Please contact us. Thank you!

"Our members at MASK's Lariak Art Club, Laikipia, have just made film KOSA about drug abuse amongst children.  The residents of Sipili offered their homes as locations for filming, while others volunteered to act in the play. The community embraced the Club's efforts to address these issues through drama.  This project enabled us to reach the community at large.  Ignorance is a major barrier to the development of our communities.  During project KOSA people from different tribes and backgrounds worked together with a common goal. Usually Laikipia is prone to conflicts among different tribes. Most of these conflicts are caused by unfair administration. Most people here are illiterate and therefore do not know their rights. MASK has thus lit the candle towards prosperity by providing awareness among the residents". Your old digital cameras would be much appreciated and would be put to a very good use.

December 2008.  "It has been a busy year!"

Due to its popularity, the Club has been invited to one day youth explosion day at a neighboring school which will involve youths from all spheres of life. The officials from the ministry of youth affairs and other non-governmental organizations will give their talks.  The Club will exhibit paintings on that day.  The event will take place on 6^th December, 2008.  The Club is also expected to give a talk on MASK.  Due to its popularity and uniqueness, The Club has received numerous calls and messages from active community groups enquiring on how MASK can be of assistance to their activities.  These groups perform: plays, poems, songs and a few of them do painting.  Most of their members are non-school going youth.  It has been a busy year.  We thank all the supporters of MASK and its activities.  We wish them all Merry Christmas and a happy prosperous New Year.

MASK is making film!

MASK has started making a film about drug abuse among youth.   Written and directed by John Githiri, MASK volunteer teacher.  See more on drama page.

23 October 2008

Exhibition of Kenyan children's art work following "What we say to our Government about post-election conflict in Kenya" workshops, at Stephenson Harwood

Law Firm HQ in the City of London.  See our Art Gallery

MASK children wrote a poem about MASK

MASK

Before the advent of the artist,

MASK was unknown to us.

We were like lost strangers

In trackless plains.

Though we had something

We could tell the world,

How could we have told it from

The wilderness?

But like John the Baptist,

MASK came to prepare the

Way for us,

This is a bottle light

That lights the way of the

Traveler,

And us the lamps which are now

Lit never to be kept under.

By MASK our hilltop,

We shall tour the whole world,

And the world, we shall

Whisper what we know,

’cause soft words win hard hearts.

MASK's Lariak Art Club (LAC)

LAC is now meeting twice a week due to its popularity amongst pupil of LAriak Secondary School in Sipili, West Laikipia.  It has established Drama Club and has invited children from the neighboring Sipili School for the Deaf to participate in these workshops.  Read more on Newsletter  We thank Lariak Secondary School teacher Kanyoko T. Kahari,  MASK volunteer teacher, John Githiri  and students Hellen Gichuki  and Joel Gatua  for their hard work and for making the Club such a success!