Draping the main quad of AISC's award-winning campus in an array of multi-coloured saris may not have been what the architects had in mind when they conceptualised the American International School - Chennai (AISC recently won a Silver Award for Excellence in Architecture from the American Institute of Architects). But AISC's high school art students certainly thought it was a apt way to celebrate International Women's Day. In fact the whole school was involved in a week-long programme of activities designed to recognize the role of women in society.
The final touches to the installation of saris were orchestrated on Monday, 8th March, to the sounds of the Bryan Adams' song, 'Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman'. For AISC's art teacher, Kathy Theriault, the act of putting together an installation of art is almost as important as the final product, and a gathering of students, parents and friends of AISC were there to see it all happen on Monday afternoon. The inspiration for the installation of saris came from the high school art curriculum, which included the study of work by artists such as James Turrel,
Christo and Jeanne-Claude (made famous for draping the Eiffel Tower in silk). Each student chose a colour that they felt represented a different aspect of a woman: red for life, blue for caring, pink for feminity, and the saris were selected accordingly. The saris were donated to AISC in part by Thakurdas Choitram, on Anna Salai, and in part by a couple of AISC staff. After the week is over, AISC will give the saris to a voluntary organisation, thus ensuring that the installation's benefits extend long beyond the school's perimeter walls.
That same afternoon in the school's Black Box Theatre, AISC inaugurated an exhibition of work by contemporary female artists, among them Premalatha Seshadri, Asma Menon, Miyako Kikuchi, Wilhemina Mansell and Rupa Rajbongshi. Some of the artists even treated AISC students and faculty to a demonstration of their skills, turning out small masterpieces as their audience looked on.
The collection was curated by ArtWorld gallery, located in Teynampet off Cenotaph Road.
Not to be left out of the celebrations, elementary school students spent time on Monday, learning about Kolam and Rangoli. During the morning, they had a chance to try their hand at this very Indian tradition, prepared by the women of the household.
Every morning throughout the week, AISC's Middle and High School students are being treated to a presentation by a woman who has achieved success in her field. On Monday morning, Srekala Bharath brought the magic of Bharatanatyam to AISC, demonstrating some of the female characters in this classical Indian art. Some of the other visiting speakers have included an Employee Relations manager from Ford India who spoke on Women in Industry, and Nirmal Mirza, who runs sitagita.com and spoke on Women as Entrepreneurs. Janet Hallwood, AISC's Guidance Counsellor, praised the programme as "... it opens all students' minds to the many different ways that women contribute to society throughout their lives."
For more information contact Michaela
Newnham,
tel. (44) 2254-9000 or visit www.aisch.org.
Draping the main quad of AISC's award-winning campus in an array of multi-coloured saris may not have been what the architects had in mind when they conceptualised the American International School - Chennai (AISC recently won a Silver Award for Excellence in Architecture from the American Institute of Architects). But AISC's high school art students certainly thought it was a apt way to celebrate International Women's Day. In fact the whole school was involved in a week-long programme of activities designed to recognize the role of women in society.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude (made famous for draping the Eiffel Tower in silk). Each student chose a colour that they felt represented a different aspect of a woman: red for life, blue for caring, pink for feminity, and the saris were selected accordingly. The saris were donated to AISC in part by Thakurdas Choitram, on Anna Salai, and in part by a couple of AISC staff. After the week is over, AISC will give the saris to a voluntary organisation, thus ensuring that the installation's benefits extend long beyond the school's perimeter walls.
That same afternoon in the school's Black Box Theatre, AISC inaugurated an exhibition of work by contemporary female artists, among them Premalatha Seshadri, Asma Menon, Miyako Kikuchi, Wilhemina Mansell and Rupa Rajbongshi. Some of the artists even treated AISC students and faculty to a demonstration of their skills, turning out small masterpieces as their audience looked on.
The collection was curated by ArtWorld gallery, located in Teynampet off Cenotaph Road.
