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August 4 - August 11,2002 |
Multicultural fairy tales
Exhibition celebrates international fables with art
By Jennifer Febbraro
In a world where the cinematic vision threatens the literacy of today's youth, it's exciting to have an art show that actually is promoting reading. At the impressive BCE Place, the Allen Lambert Galleria is opening its doors for a truly family affair, one in which parents can take a walk down memory lane, as they may encounter books they've read during their own childhood, and children will be able to see their favourite narratives painted large across the walls.
Read Me A Story! is the exhibition focusing exclusively on folk tales and picture books from around the world. But don't worry, these aren't of the gruesome variety. You won't see too many Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales here, or if you do, they censor out all the blood and murder to cut right to the chase, or shall I say, the moral at the end of the story. Coinciding with World Youth Day, this show is yet another symbol of the welcome open arms Toronto has extended to the rest of the world.
Sponsored by UNICEF-Ontario and produced by Soka Gakka International in support of UNESCO's International Decade for a Centre of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 1,200 children's books from around the world will be celebrated weaving together cultural myth and archetype into one large quilt of imagery.
From Serbia to India, diversity is the defining feature of the show and it's the one value the organizers here hope that the children viewing the exhibition take home with them - that is, a newer appreciation for it. What better place to showcase such an art show than in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world?
Here, all the continents are represented, as well as their own "classics" in terms of story. A special story has been selected for each country and will be reinterpreted by current artists into stories which will then be featured on the walls. Also known as "panorama picture books", they will stimulate even the most hyperactive of kids, unless hyperactivity is how we can perhaps characterize this entire generation who are becoming accustomed to comprehending life in byte-sized portions.
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