My favorite piece of earth

These questions gave rise to a special project at Schlins elementary school. For four days, the pupils immersed themselves in a creative journey: they collected clay from their surroundings and used it to create objects, places and memories. The focus was on their personal favorite places; play areas, retreats, communal corners of the village. Places that have meaning for them.

With their hands, hearts and imaginations, the children worked with one of the oldest building materials known to man – clay. They learned about its complexity, its origins and its potential. Greasy clay was extracted from a road construction site. The excavated material from the nearby river was sandy and unsuitable as building material. The pupils found ready-made rammed earth at the Clay Werkhalle in their village . They were not afraid to carry heavy loads and brought material to their place of work. In the Erden Schule Atelier they finally stamped, shuttered and modeled. Mere earth became form, idea, expression.

A symbolic highlight was the construction of a sculpture, a kind of favorite piece. A small object, shaped by each child, covered in golden glaze. These shiny miniatures not only reflect appreciation for their own surroundings, but also children’s wishes and visions: mighty trees, pets, play equipment, empowering creatures.

The project gave the pupils their first access to building culture, artistic thinking and active participation in shaping their environment. It sharpened their perception, promoted creative skills and opened up spaces for dialog – with themselves, with the village, with the earth.

The resulting works show impressively how children experience their environment – and how education can contribute to cultural participation: low-threshold, practical, sensual.