Connecting Aboriginal Art to Tikkun Olam in ArtStudio
Rimonim (grades 2-3) students have begun their cultural art study in the ArtStudio. In this unit, the students learn and practice the traditional art of the indigenous people of Australia, known as Aboriginal Dot Art. The students learned about the use of symbols, color and pattern shared by the nomadic communities of the different peoples of Australia. As part of learning how culture can influence art, the students learned of the stories told in the Aboriginee culture passed down through generations, and found similarities and differences to compare to their own Jewish culture. In creating art in the style of Aboriginal Dot Art, the students chose an animal important to them that they would want to learn more about and protect. The Aboriginal culture reinforces the ideas of sustainability, balance, and harmony, much like how the concept of Tikkun Olam reflects the importance of caring for our world. This style of artwork lends itself to meditation and practice in fine skill, and the Rimonim students have become masters in creating beautiful patterned art to decorate the ArtStudio.