On November 6th My Cohort went to the Two Rivers Art Gallery. The Gallery had a lot of Indigenous and non-Indigenous art and activities that reflect the area and cultures around Prince George. There were two exhibits on display in the exhibit, Nonreturnables, and Dismantled Worlds. These exhibits centered around environmental pollution and climate change and were interesting. I really liked the different ways that the artists portrayed climate change and the different effects of pollution. I was reminded about the many ways that students might approach these difficult topics and how many different impacts these issues have on the environment. Our guide Sofia was super helpful and lead us through some mindfulness exercises while we looked at the different pieces. The mindfulness exercises were interesting because it allowed us to dive deeper and ask more questions about why the artists made the creative choices that they did. As Individuals, the mindfulness exercise allowed the class to form connections with the various works of art. Thes connections drew attention to different aspects of the art and interpretations of what the art is saying about the issues of environmental pollution and climate change. After the mindfulness exercise we engaged in group conversations about the art under the direction of Sofia again. This time the pieces served as conversation starters that allowed the class to discuss difficult issues and problems that exist while also posing questions about why and what can happen in the future. These conversations allowed us to share our own connections and share ideas and learn from the other students. After completing these exercises, the class was taken upstairs where we engaged in an identity project where we drew an animal that meant something to us but were encouraged to think about what the animal is made of, what it eats, where it lives, and what it does. The project was both creative and reflective as we considered how the creatures interact with and are formed by their environment, we also considered our own roles in the environment. This reflection is something I would love to bring into my classes while also being sure to provide spaces to share ideas as we did in the mindfulness exercises. I really enjoyed our trip to the Two Rivers Art Gallery, and I hope to take my classes their to explore how perspectives can change and are personal to themselves while also allowing them the chance to chare their perspectives if they so choose.
