As part of their identity panel, our Y5-6 children have been spending time in our Theatre of Imagination atelier, experimenting with the languages of light, shadow, and photography to explore identity. Whilst self-portraiture allows the child to offer him or herself as both subject and artist, eliciting a strong statement on self, the children have also had the opportunity to photograph each other, deepening their understanding of the multi-layered concept of identity and provoking curiosity about the medium of photography, what it captures, and its relationship to ‘reality’:
‘In the Theatre of Imagination, you express your personality to others through colour and expressions…I think it’s better to express your individuality or personality instead of your face.’ Misaki
‘When you take a photo, it captures yourself and the experiences you have been in.’ Tun
‘Photography can sometimes be a good way to represent identity. It’s not a good way when someone tells you to sit in a particular way and look a certain way. It can be meaningful when you choose how you want to be photographed.’ Zoe