If Memory Has Colors

The art and design course at Jinhua Junior High School, known as the Kang-Ching-Lung Streets Project, was developed collaboratively by all the art teachers. To gain a deeper understanding of their surroundings, the teachers and students left the classroom, planned exploration routes, and conducted field studies in the neighborhood around the campus.

As they wandered the streets, observing and recording various architectures from different eras, they were impressed by their findings: a rich diversity of styles, forms, and textures in the buildings. Back at school, they discussed the suitability of the materials used and explored potential replacements for the buildings. By slowing down and paying more attention to the details on their way to school, the students were amazed at how much they had previously overlooked.

“Aesthetics should spread naturally like particles in the air.” The art classroom at National Hsinchu Senior High School was the perfect place for teachers and students to immerse themselves in art and design. Mrs. Wu envisioned this space as a hub to stimulate the diffusion of art and design throughout the school.

Inspired by this idea, a group of students began exploring the campus to identify areas for improvement. They identified issues such as the unsuitable fabrics and cuts of their uniforms and the confusing signs in the store. Bringing their findings back to the art classroom, the students brainstormed solutions. They then set out to implement changes, aiming to spread aesthetic appreciation beyond the classroom to other parts of the school.

Mrs. Lin had been teaching at Hsiyu Junior High School for over a year. Initially, the students lacked confidence in art class because the school had not had a regular art teacher, and they had received little art training before. However, to her surprise, Mrs. Lin discovered that the children, who live on Penghu Island and possess extensive knowledge of the oceans, were adept at distinguishing the colors in their everyday surroundings.

By identifying and mixing paint colors and relating them to their personal memories, the students captured the dynamic landscapes and poetic moments of the island. In the color charts they created, the deep connection between them and their hometown was vividly displayed. For the children preparing to leave the island, the lesson was a precious gift from Mrs. Lin, who was also born in Penghu. She hoped that when they are apart, reminiscing about the colors would help them remember their beautiful hometown.

Due to the scarcity of educational resources in the remote and rural regions of Taiwan, Mrs. Lu lectures simultaneously in three schools in Yuli, Hualien. She discovered that most of the children are from tribal communities, and their families, who rely on farming, live in harmony with the land. As a result, their lifestyle is deeply connected to the solar terms and seasonal foods.

When teaching colors to her students, Mrs. Lu creatively incorporated food into the lessons to offer a unique perspective on colors. By rearranging the colors on the dining table, she aimed to help the students discover new meanings in their local food. Through exploring seasonal colors, the children gradually realized how food enriched their lives and even revealed their true selves.