Tõnu Talve

Art-teachers’ Art-works Exhibition/For InSEA 70 Years Anniversary/Unexpected Territories (Art Project Exhibition)

Tõnu Talve – Aruküla Basic School, Estonia

Abstract:

As art educators, we must be more active across various artistic mediums, exploring Unexplored Territories. Through our creative work, we reinvigorate and upgrade ourselves, all while serving as role models for our students. But the question remains: are we, as art teachers, truly valued? Are our drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, and other 3D works desired?

The ATAE project seeks to address this by encouraging art educators to gain the recognition and respect they deserve. We invite active teacher-artists to join this initiative and showcase their work at the 38th InSEA World Congress in Olomouc, Czech Republic, in 2025. This event will serve as a vibrant platform for us to exhibit our artworks, connect with other educators, and share knowledge and experiences. Join us on this exciting journey to shape a brighter and more fulfilling future for art educators! We encourage you to bring smaller, framed artworks to InSEA 2025, or, if possible, upload photos of your works to the InSEA World Congress 2025 website, under the theme Unexplored Territories.

The concept of ATAE has been circulating in InSEA meetings for many years. My original idea for ATAE came to life in 2012 in Estonia, just before and during a nationwide teachers’ strike. Our artworks were displayed in the Estonian Parliament to emphasize the importance of teachers and to make our voices heard. In January 2024, Estonia experienced another national teachers’ strike, underscoring the ongoing importance of this issue. In response, some of my students and I created a new art-meets-music video to explore the significance of the 2024 strike in Estonia and its impact.

Belt Patterns and Self-portraits. Live-Art Show-Lesson 5. (Workshop)

Tõnu Talve – Aruküla Basic School, Estonia

With Anneliie Talve – EKA – Estonian Arts Academy, Tallinn, Estonia

Abstract:

The workshop begins with a 10-minute video that combines art and music, showcasing previously completed artworks by the students. Following this, the teachers engage in a practical art-making session on A4 paper, which lasts for 20 minutes. The objective of the activity is for participants to draw traditional belt patterns from the countries they represent at the congress. These patterns serve as visual notes, encoding historical narratives from the past to the present. Just as sounds are translated into musical notes, these patterns act as visual rhythms. The activity then transitions into free drawing and coloring, culminating in the creation of a self-portrait. This journey from the past to the present symbolizes the process of reinvention and self-upgrading. As art educators, we create not only for ourselves but as role models for our students.

The question arises: Are we art teachers whose drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, and other 3D works valued and desired? The self-portrait created with traditional belt patterns serves as a document, capturing the essence of what the art teacher has accomplished in the creative process.

The Live-Art Show-Lesson 5 workshop is a collage that examines various social values, drawing the viewer’s attention. The dual nature of the workshop—both spontaneous and structured—creates a unique atmosphere, emphasizing the importance of presence and participation.