Imprints of Belonging
To imprint is to press into, deform, mould, transfer or make a mark, indelibly onto a material, such as paper, canvas, clay or wood, or metaphorically, in memory or the heart.
In nature, imprinting is a phenomenon where animals acquire kinship or belonging through a relationship of trust and reciprocity. In art, the act of imprinting calls attention to the process of making; not as a destination towards some predetermined end but an unfolding dialogue between the self and its becoming, a tactile encounter between maker and material in which both are transformed.
For Martin Brokenleg, in the Circle of Courage, the sense of belonging and significance is the essential starting place for any kind of meaningful learning. Brené Brown writes that true belonging is not about fitting in, but about finding and accepting our authentic selves as a place from which to reach out and touch the world.
Belonging is therefore not a given condition, but an active and ongoing process of discovery and renewal.
The Exhibition imprints of Belonging brought together a selection of artwork created by elementary students working with AIRS artists across 15 elementary schools in Vancouver during the 2023/4 school year. This exhibition featured individual and collaborative art in diverse media ranging from prints, drawings, sculptural and textile work to photographs, film animations, and spoken word poetry.
Together, these works showcased the capacity of art to cultivate and express our deepest human need for meaningful relationships, reciprocity and belonging.
In the discordance, distraction and divisiveness of our world, we were given the opportunity to slow down, put aside our critical eyes of assessment, and allow children to lead us on a journey to see the world anew from a place of tender presence and wonderment, of authentic connection and joy. If we are open, these ‘imprints’ by children call us - in raw, startling, and profound ways – to attend to our relationships and the work of belonging; within ourselves, with our community, and with the community of all living beings.
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