Zapurza : Understanding & Experiencing a State of Creative Bliss

Zapurza : Understanding & Experiencing a State of Creative Bliss

 A few days ago, I visited a museum with a group of students. Zapurza Museum of Art & Culture, situated by Pune's Khadakwasla Dam, stretches over seven acres, housing 10 galleries, including "The Collection," "Light of Life," and "Script, Ink & Humans." It serves as a dynamic platform for various arts and cultural expressions, offering workshops and activities. Embracing the ethos of aesthetic appreciation, Zapurza aims to educate and inspire visitors of all ages, drawing from the rich tapestry of Indian arts and culture.

The name "Zapurza," inspired by a poem by Marathi poet Keshavsut, embodies a state of creative bliss.

Founded by PN Gadgil & Sons, this initiative is dedicated to promoting and conserving Indian arts, enriching society through artistic endeavours, particularly fostering creativity among children.

Welcome to Zapurza, where art and culture converge to ignite the spirit of preservation and creation.

We spent the whole day at the museum. After an initial introduction about the collection and the importance of museums as repository of life's history, the girls were asked to visit different galleries.

A list of 20 objects was given to them to find a treasure in the museum. They were divided into groups, and each group was asked to rank three artefacts from each gallery as unique special artefacts. They were given the freedom to define the criteria for uniqueness and to describe artefacts in words, pictures, sketches, or poems as they liked.

In each gallery, along with the museum guide, art and social science teachers were there to help them with history, description, and queries.

After visiting all the galleries, a small rapid-fire quiz was organized. Then a unique task for summarization and reflection of the day's learning was given. The girls were asked to present a short skit or drama relating to an object from the museum to changes through ages connecting to human life. They selected themes such as lamps and light in human life, ornaments through ages and life, and emotions of women, painting and expressions, emotions, expression, and art.

The day concluded with teachers sharing observations about student participation and reflections on student presentations. It was a daylong series of learning activities, culminating with students sharing one liner:

Collection is a passion, collection is documentation,

Collection is a source to revel in the past, collection represents culture, collection is investment, and collection is treasure.

Collection is not just a hobby for humans; it's a source for knowledge generation,

what would have happened if Darwin had not collected specimens during his voyage?

I was happy that the girls understood

 the journey of a learner from a passionate collector

to an explorer of knowledge.

At Jnana Prabodhini Prashala, we organize Sahadyay din, i.e., Experiential Learning Day. This day is a theme-centred activity day offering students a broad range of experiential learning opportunities designed to enhance their understanding and engagement across diverse fields and contexts.

Experiential Learning Day is an intentional educational event that aims to guide students by offering purposeful learning experiences. These experiences provide opportunities for active engagement, exposure to diverse perspectives, the integration of concepts from various disciplines and reflections.

Unlike traditional outdoor education, Experiential Learning Day is distinct in its focus on purposeful learning experiences. During this day, teachers carefully choose and adapt activities to align with learning outcomes, catering to students' unique needs and interests. This approach fosters a multidisciplinary understanding that extends beyond the confines of the traditional classroom, textbooks and syllabus, enriching the educational experience.

After spending this special day at Zapuraza by engaging students in a series of activities, we were reading their feedback and reflection write-ups, i.e.  Manogat.

Our group selected a topic for presentation on paintings. We use two types of colours: oil paints and watercolours. We use oil paints to depict solid structures such as buildings and watercolours to represent rivers, water, etc., while we restricted the flow of oil paints and allowed watercolours to flow freely.              In the gallery of paintings, an artist had done it in the reverse way. He had depicted rivers using oil paints and buildings using watercolours. During our discussion on that painting, we inferred that many times in life we have to be free, and vice versa. Actually, we realized we should not do that, so we decided to present our interpretation of human life. - Sayuri                What we observed throughout the day in the museum, what I learned, and how we looked at our lives, I understood during the evening performance. We presented the topic 'How oil paints flow, yet watercolours stay bound' through drama, poetry, and dance, combining various expressions in our presentation. The poem we wrote in a short time of 20-25 minutes was not a great piece with poetic design and expression, but during the preparation, we discussed why humans should control and frame free-flowing thoughts, and why humans should break framed thoughts. Indeed, art expresses human life and how we should live it. Art is human revolution. - Neea               Our topic title for presentation was 'Life Has No Limits, Just Like an Artist.' We decided to present the idea that 'If oil paints can depict waves and watercolours can illustrate systems, similarly, our lives can also be boundless.' - Shubhashree               Of course, I loved preparing for the presentation more than actually performing because the process was much more interesting and fun. We attempted to present human life in relation to two mediums used for painting: oil paints and watercolours. – Tanmayi                In our presentation, we aimed to illustrate human life and how oil paints flow, contrasting with the framing or restriction possible with watercolours. We drew inspiration from a painting in the gallery where the artist depicted the flow in nature using oil colours. – Aditi               The topic of our presentation was based on a painting that employed a unique painting style. The artist used oil paints for creating flow and watercolours for construction, which is generally the opposite approach. – Riya

 

In the above write-up, the collaborative learning experience of the group during the presentation is visible. Together, they embarked on a journey of exploration, delving into the intricate connections between art and life.

As we witnessed students immerse themselves in the museum experience, we witnessed a journey of discovery unfold before our eyes. Their observations of various paintings, each employing distinct techniques and styles, laid the groundwork for their understanding of artistic expression.

The key take ways by students reflected in group’s presentation and write-up:

v Observations and Insight into a unique painting style, where oil paints were used for flow and watercolours for construction, showcased the integration of diverse artistic elements.

v Analysis of a painting where the artist reversed the traditional use of oil paints and watercolours highlighted the importance of challenging conventional norms.

v Through observations, they drew parallels between the fluidity of water colours; oil paints and the unrestricted nature of human existence.

v This integration led to a deeper connection between the techniques employed in the artwork and broader themes of human life.

v This reflection led to a deeper understanding of the complexities of freedom and restriction in both art and life.

v A painting depicting the flow of nature using oil colours sparked a deeper understanding of how art mirrors life.

v Through drama, poetry, and dance, the students expressed their interpretation of human life, integrating their observations, understanding, and reflections into a powerful expression of art.

 All groups selected diverse objects matching with themes as lamps and light in human life, ornaments through ages; emotions and women life, and painting; medium and expressions, emotions; expression and art. The evening performance revealed the profound impact on learning of the day.

The feedback and reflections provided by the students, offer valuable insights into the elements of a comprehensive framework for experiential learning. From the feedback write-ups, we noticed a sequential set of keywords in their learning: observation, understanding, reflection, impression, integration to connect, and expression.

Observation: The students observed various paintings in the museum and noted the contrasting styles of using oil paints and watercolours.

Observation lays the foundation by encouraging learners to keenly observe their surroundings, events, or objects. This leads to understanding, where learners grasp the underlying concepts or principles.

Understanding: They gained an understanding of how different painting techniques can depict different aspects of life, such as flow and structure.

Observation leads to understanding, where learners grasp the underlying concepts or principles.

Reflection: Through discussions and reflection on the paintings, they drew connections between artistic expression and human life experiences.

Reflection prompts learners to introspect on their observations and understanding, fostering deeper insights and self-awareness.

Impression: Students were impressed by the versatility of oil paints and watercolours in conveying different concepts and emotions.

Impressions are formed through the emotional and cognitive responses to the learning experience, shaping personal perspectives.

Integration to Connect: They integrated their observations and understanding to connect the artistic techniques with broader themes of human life, such as freedom and restriction.

Integration to connect involves synthesizing newfound knowledge with existing understandings, creating meaningful connections.

Expression:  Students expressed their interpretations and insights through their presentation, utilizing drama, poetry, and dance to convey their message effectively through symbolism as lamps and light in human life.

Expression allows learners to articulate their thoughts, ideas, and insights, solidifying their understanding and facilitating communication with others.

During experiential learning day, a holistic understanding is cultivated through a sequential process that encompasses observation, understanding, reflection, impression, integration to connect, and expression. These key words serve as elements for a comprehensive framework for experiential learning.

At Zapurza, where art and culture converge, girls embarked on a transformative journey of experiential learning, experiencing a State of Creative Bliss.

Prashant Divekar

Jnana Prabodhini, Pune