Fair Trade Schools Collaborate In Art Exhibition

An art exhibition with Fair Trade as its focus has opened in Christchurch.

Rangi Ruru Girls’ School and Heaton Normal Intermediate are the only two Fair Trade Schools in the city and they are both aiming, through two exhibitions, to raise awareness around fair trade and ethical consumerism.

Rangi Ruru’s Director of Sustainability, Kate Rivers says Fair Trade Schools are committed to using fair trade products, educating students about its philosophy and raising awareness in the wider community.

Kate and Fiona Taylor from Heaton have worked with students to produce paintings, prints and ceramics for the exhibitions. Coinciding with World Fair Trade Day (Saturday 14 May), the first exhibition ran from 14-20 May at Trade Aid, in Merivale; the second show is currently on display at the Christchurch South Library and will run through until June 14.

The project highlights Rangi Ruru’s sustainability philosophy with the exhibitions featuring artworks produced using fair trade products.

Kate Rivers says the idea behind the works is the concept that everybody has the power to be an agent of change and every person can make a difference.

“Students from across curriculum areas contributed to the exhibitions in various ways. Poems written in Year 9 English were printed onto rag bags using stamps, others were stencilled onto coffee sacks during Year 9 Art. Year 10 Maori Studies and Year 12 students also stitched tukutuku designs onto the sacks. Porcelain and pottery pieces including bowls and a lamp were created from fair trade products.”

Kate say they were totally inspired by the students’ ideas and creations, and Rangi Ruru was grateful to Fiona and Heaton for the use of their kiln to fire the pottery and porcelain pieces.

ENDS

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