MESSAGES ON THE STREETS
LABASTIDA SCHOOL, Labastida
Curricular subject: Civic and Social Values
17 students, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
Teachers: Jon Etxebarria, Daniel Soria
Artist: Nerea Lekuona
Language: Basque
The students at Labastida School were asked to send messages to the people in their town. The challenge was posed by artist Nerea Lekuona, starting with a number of questions: What do we want to say? How are we going to say it? How are we going to materialize our messages? Where are we going to send our messages?
First of all, the possible topics and concerns of social interest were discussed and debated: gender and roles, environmental protection, pollution, multiethnic and multicultural coexistence, poverty, etc. Discussions led to a number of maxims or slogans being written.
Then, the students went out into the streets to find the best spots for their texts. Empty walls and dilapidated facades were some of the places they selected for their messages. In addition, they found out that many establishments in town used Basque fonts, so they chose it as the most appropriate typeface for their statements. Using brushes and wallpaper paste, they placed their texts across town, for passersby in Labastida to come across them and think about the inspiring ideas they contained.