Art, understood as a language and educational tool, allows children to express and manage their emotions regarding their development and environment. This is the social and artistic dimension addressed by the 'Saber mirar Paiporta' exhibition, jointly organized by the Carmen Santisteban Foundation and CEIP Ausiàs March of Paiporta, with the collaboration of the Department of Culture of the Paiporta City Council. The exhibition can be visited until April 22 at the Museu de la Rajoleria in the municipality.
Through the 700 drawings by students from CEIP Ausiàs March of Paiporta and the 22 works by Valencian artists that accompany them, the role of art in children is highlighted, allowing the expression of their feelings to emerge, while developing their expressive and creative skills. Especially during the response and recovery process after the experienced catastrophe.
“"When the DANA occurred and we understood its magnitude, our Foundation contacted the schools in Paiporta to provide them with support and emotional assistance for what they had experienced, and from there this project emerged, which is part of our 'Saber mirar' program."
The president of the Carmen Santisteban Foundation emphasizes the immediate response and commitment of CEIP Ausiàs March of Paiporta to carry out this initiative. Previously, a similar project, “Volcados con La Palma,” had been promoted with those affected by the volcano in La Palma, yielding positive results in children's emotional expression through art.
For Santisteban, this exhibition demonstrates the pedagogical and healing value of art, as through it, the children of CEIP Ausiàs March of Paiporta have been able to externalize their emotions and stimulate their creativity, showing through drawing what they could not express with words.
The drawings, with vivid colors and recreations of recognized landscapes of the municipality, portray the role of neighbors, family members, volunteers, and the children of Paiporta themselves, during the days following the DANA. The mayor of Paiporta, Vicent Ciscar, stresses that each drawing is a living memory of what happened on October 29, 2024, and the importance of caring for the youngest in the recovery of childhood through art and their spaces for play, leisure, and learning.
“"Saber mirar Paiporta teaches us that educating also means giving space to the youngest because they show us, with their colors and strokes, how they feel and how they experienced such a complicated moment."
The Councilor for Culture, Esther Torrijos, shares this appreciation, highlighting the restorative power of art in times of crisis. The Councilor for Education, Olga Sandrós, adds that educating is about giving space to children to express themselves, and that the role of educational centers and teachers is fundamental in this process. The Department of Education will continue to support artistic initiatives that allow children to express themselves and even show the way to recovery.
As part of this exhibition and until mid-April, the Carmen Santisteban Foundation has organized a series of school workshops, round tables, and debate forums at the Museu de la Rajoleria on the role of art in times of adversity or in grieving processes, with artists, academics, researchers, and experts from universities such as the Universitat de València or the Universitat Politècnica de València.
