Organization by participants of the intercultural girls’ group in cooperation with the Euregio Comprehensive School Rheine
Rheine. cpr. The specialized service migration and integration of the Caritas Rheine offered in the autumn vacations in cooperation with the graffiti artist Max Ziegner from the company “Bunt mit uns” a three-day graffiti workshop for the participants of the intercultural girls group, which was organized in the Centro S. Antonio.
Four girls between the ages of 11 and 13 were able to give free rein to their artistic abilities over three days and learn about different techniques of design based on graffiti. First, the participants were allowed to learn how to handle the spray cans and colors on wooden panels. At first, it was just a matter of developing a feeling for the spray paints. How do I draw fine, straight lines? How do I create color transitions? How do I work with stencils and how do I mask off surfaces correctly? As the participants were bubbling over with creativity, the first ideas about what should be on the walls of the pavilion in the future began to emerge over lunch. On the second day, graffiti artist Max Ziegner brought along some designs that he had developed based on the girls’ ideas. Together they were allowed to choose a motif and bring in some more ideas. It was important that the motif had reference to the intercultural meeting center. Thus, not only different flags, the earth and a rainbow adorn the wall. “The picture should reflect the different cultures and the diversity of the people who come together at Centro S. Antonio,” says Jennifer Hunting from the Migration and Integration Service. Afterwards, the participants could still design their own canvas with an individual motif.
“It was interesting to see how the girls came out of their shells more and more, with how much motivation and commitment they worked on the wall for hours every day and how proud they are of their picture,” summed up Max Ziegner from “Bunt mit uns” and Jennifer Hunting from the specialist service for migration and integration. The project was sponsored by the Episcopal Vicariate General of the Diocese of Münster.
Photo: (left) Max Ziegner, graffiti artist from “Bunt mit uns,” (center) participants in the project, (right) Jennifer Hunting, Migration and Integration Service of the Caritas Association Rheine.