Michaela Eichwald : Unconventional Painting

Four classes from preschool were invited to visit Michaela Eichwald's exhibition hirnlose problemlösung gerade verworfen. Their visit focused on the children's capacity to see beyond colors and imagine hidden shapes or meanings.

In teams, the children participated in a scavenger hunt for details in the paintings, honing their observation skills. They were given a brief narrative of Michaela Eichwald's life that highlighted her free, self-taught, and innovative approach in drawing and painting. This led to a discussion where children could  share their thoughts on the artist's paintings.

Next came a workshop, providing kids with the chance to unleash their creativity by crafting abstract pieces à la manière de Michaela Eichwald. They used tools like potato stampers, wooden spoons, disposable cups, and wooden chopsticks to paint. The use of hands was encouraged, and the children then signed their creations with pencils.

Three classes from elementary school visited the exhibition and were prompted to focus on the percieved meaning of Michaela Eichwald's paintings. Each child was encouraged to delve into their own interpretation while using their imagination. We then defined Michaela Eichwald's style of painting and had a discussion about abstract style.

Next, students played a visualization game by describing specific paintings using only two sentences, without naming colors. The other children guessed which painting and were prompted to rethink their relationship with figurative and abstract art. The students were quite successful in conveying which paintings they were talking about by making unique connections. 

During the activity, the students played the role of art historians with the help of a questionnaire:

-What food did the artist use in some works in the exhibition?
- Which artwork is painted upside down?
-Find the artwork titled "the little k is tireless"
-Which painting tells a love story entitled "late happiness with a form of alien life"?
-In which painting can you recognize the imprint of a canvas stretcher?
-How many works did the artist create using the collage technique?
-How many works have a textual element?
-Which paintings were completed on canvas?