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Ruby Sweet, 11, Anna Wernick, 10, and Edie Martin, 11, on a break from ‘tagging’ a wall |
Your lesson for today is graffiti
SOME schools teach painting, others make potato prints, but one Highgate Newtown primary is doing things a little differently – the tutor masks his identity to avoid arrest and the lesson of the day is graffiti.
While most 10-year-olds know nothing of “bridges”, “tags”, and “bombs”, Year 6 pupils at Brookfield School in Chester Road took it back to the concrete streets last week with a visit from the mysterious street artist, Mantis.
Mantis, whose iconic work can be seen in alleyways and streets across London, agreed to teach the youngsters the skills of stencilling and spray painting in return for a healthy school lunch.
He was contacted by teacher Susan Yaffe, who also took the children to Leeke Street and the Tate Modern to show them how the pros do it.
“I was quite shocked when they asked me. I’m not exactly what you would call a role model,” he admitted.
Laurel Fleck, assistant head at Brookfield primary school, said the graffiti classes had come with important lessons about respecting people’s property and the environment.
She said: “Maybe some schools are reluctant to embrace street art but the children are surrounded by it. I think it’s great that artists are questionning society and raising political ideas.
“The price a Banksy stencil goes for proves it’s art,” she added.
Teacher Susie Yaffe said the children had voted with their feet – attendance on the project had been 100 per cent.
Themes of deforestation and CCTV seemed popular choices in the final display.
Edie Martin, 11, said graffiti was effective “because it’s pretty, so it makes you listen more”. Banksy, your days are numbered. |
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