In a world overwhelmed by bad news (both real and fake), what would children like to declare to the world? What do children want and seek for the world? What change can they make in the world? Come and be inspired by the children’s wonderful capacity for compassion and empathy, marvel at the symphony of benevolence they have created and ‘swim’ among the shoals of fish, as we stand for kindness as a community together. 

“Do you know what I want?, I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.” Amos 5:24 (The Message)

“I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education, and culture for their minds and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits” Martin Luther King Jr

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Oceans of Kindness was an exploration of the cumulative power of words, creativity and kindness sparked by children’s imagination. Children from Christchurch Primary, Hotspur Primary and Shieldfield Youth Programme wrote their own collection of ‘poems of kindness’ and then delicately adorned these onto majestic large-scale willow fish lanterns. The final gathered shoal of fish featured in a community parade and exhibition at Shieldfield Art Works, before migrating to Ouseburn Festival to become part of a kindness trail. Visitors ‘swim’ among the shoals of fish, as we stood for kindness as a community together. Visitors could also make their own fridge poems and share their own stories of kindness.

Oceans of Kindness Ouseburn Festival Trail

After Oceans of Kindness exhibition finished a number of the fish lanterns migrated to venues around Ouseburn to form a trail of kindness during Ouseburn Festival 2024. The map shows the host venues.

There were a series of Craft Action Collective workshops relating to the Oceans of Kindness exhibition. Craft Action Collective is a creative group which seeks to think deeply and respond to injustices in a gentle, careful way through craft and printmaking.

Tuesday 7 May: Dyeing paper with natural dyes
Tuesday 21 May: Screen printing onto marbled paper
Tuesday 4 June: Drypoint printing using recycled tetra pack cartons

SAW Reflects

Soup and Discussion // 14 May 2024

At SAW Reflects we we began as usual with soup & bread in the workshop room. We then took a look at the exhibition to enjoy the children’s creativity as well as a chance to reflect on our own stories: how did our younger selves relate to the world, how do we want to relate to our world now and in the future?

The Late Shows

Friday 17 May // 6pm – 10.30pm // activities and exhibition open as part of The Late Shows

Stamp your own beautiful ocean scene using stamps made from recycled materials. Be inspired by our exhibition, and write your own poems of justice to add to your waves. 

Cuppa and Chat

Tuesday 28 May // 11.30am – 12pm & 2pm- 2.30pm

We gathered for a cup of tea in the gallery and a casual chat about the themes of the exhibition.