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Topics: young women empowerment; guidelines for reflection, creation and visibility in everyday life Mindmapping; artmaking practices; curation and presentation approach.

This module takes the self into focus. “I am strong” is the assumption, statement and message. We lead the proof. Using self-portraits in the broadest sense, participants create a bodymap on which they locate and visualize their roots, passions, talents and skills, as well as their ideas and goals. The end result is a self-portrait that uses artistic means to make inner maps visible and usable.

By: Anja Roth

Time: 3 hours.

Artistic Method

Bodymaps : Bodymaps fulfil various tasks. They function as self-portraits and self-references. They are foundations for brainstorming and reflection. They enable visibility and low-threshold participation in artistic, creative and even therapeutic processes. Each Bodymap is an individual visible very personal work of art. Bodymaps are available in all formats and techniques, even digital of course. Depending on the willingness and openness of the participants, they can be implemented alone, in pairs or actively in a group. They function as drawings, paintings, texts, and poetry and can also be used for installation concepts. They can be realised from DIN A 4 to human height. The time frame, materials, tasks and demands on the results are also decisive.

Goals

At the end of this module, participants should: better understand what makes them strong; be able to visualize and describe their “selves”; be able to create an aesthetic, personal and helpful piece of art. Participants will venture and sample their artistic and design skills, will understand and visualize aspects of being strong and what that has to do with themselves and finally, will learn to use bodymaps in everyday life as visualized diaries, to-do lists, or strong makers.

Required for this session

A relatively large-scale working area, large and very large drawing papers in different sizes and colors, rolls of wrapping paper for bodyhigh work, crayons, eddings/markers, colored pencils, colored tape, glue sticks, scissors, collage materials, pens, sticky notes in colors, stapler and hole punch. Laminating foil and a laminating machine, smartphone (not mandatory).

Introduction
(30 min.)

Warm-up, Talk about individual strength, Input and explanation on IKIGAI as a method of reflection, Sketching personal IKIGAI diagram, very short discussion about.

Preparation
(30 min.)

5 fingers – 5 talents: first steps of picture composition, linking picture and statement, postit drafts.

When is a picture a self-portrait? What can a self-portrait or a bodymap be used for?

Implementation
(90 min.)

Showing different bodymaps and how they work, explaining possible uses. Creating an artwork: Painting a self. Filling the format. Possibly body-sized as outline, shadow or silhouette.

Headline: I am strong! Illustrating the focus areas. Composing roots, passions, competencies, talents and wishes/goals. Mix of materials explicitly allowed. Also wordings, poetry, emoji, etc.

Working with layers: after about 45 minutes (who wants) a 2nd layer is created: A thank you to myself. Small floral collage compositions will be created and laminated. They are placed freely and loosely as a 2nd layer on the body map, creating an image of the moment. Various compositions will be captured with the smartphone.

Presentation
(20 min.)

Collaborative construction and curation of a pop-up exhibition with all the results. Reflecting on space, light, positions, proximity and distance. Each participant presents her work and explains her inner process. Positive feedback from the group is encouraged.

Wrap-up
(10 min.)

Photo-documentation of the exhibition (short check of picture, copy and personal rights), Reflection, Talk.