Art Break Day 2014: India!

Art Break Day is a community art event which occurs in locations around the world on the first Friday in September, including 29 sites this year in Mexico, the Netherlands and the US. It is sponsored by the US-based non-profit, Art is Moving.

For the second event in Auroville, we saw dozens hesitating to sit down, particularly adults, claiming they are “bad at this kind of thing”. With encouragement, many were able to gradually open up and express themselves. In the morning, school groups of children (including The Learning Community, Deepanam and the Life Education Centre), came one after another with creative ideas on the theme “wish”. Some were personal, including many dreams of flight or flying, and a common hope to have colourful, cooling ice cream on a hot day; while others wished for peace, happiness, love, kindness and for the preservation of nature around the world.

Three wishes for our planet at ART Break Day 2014: India! One for saving our trees, another for a flying superhero to remove all ocean pollution, and a third hoping for kindness and sharing between all people! Of nearly 300 participants, some commented on how it brought connection and concentration to the community in a very special and positive way. Throughout a day filled with activity and creation, there was actually a precious and dynamic silence. Just as last year, we saw adults and children, Tamil villagers and Aurovilians, single-day guests and long-term volunteers all sitting down together to create. This remains a very unique interaction bridged by the universality of art.

There was also a moment I looked around and saw a cat, several dogs snuggling up against tables, birds in the surrounding trees, people moving and painting, and I really felt the blissful harmony of the atmosphere on this day. And amazingly, exactly like last year, the moment we packed up the materials, heavy rain came pouring down!

My effort to share art therapy and events like Art Break Day in Auroville is called Sankalpa, which is a Sanskrit word for intention or affirmation. In the last four years here, I have helped many individuals to express wishes and dreams and combine them with creativity to help manifest them. Ultimately, Art Break Day is my own wish coming true, to be able to provide a supportive open space and access to the tools for creative expression. Community art is an important foundation for the deeper work of art therapy.