LASC s Community Schools Art Project 2014 Create Guatemalan kites For Day of the Dead!! Guatemalan Giant Kites Teachers, here you will find easy step by step instructions for making two different styles of Guatemalan kites for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with your students. This year s Community Schools Art Project is based on the 110 year old tradition in Guatemala of creating and flying giant colorful kites over the village cemetery in Santiago Sacatepéquez during Day of the Dead. Below you will find additional information about the fascinating history of this unique Day of the Dead celebration practice that you can incorporate into your classroom and discuss with your students. Through this activity you can explore history, math, science, culture, geography, and art as well as participating in the LASC s annual Community Schools Art Project. Kentucky Core Concepts covered in this community art project: Social Studies: SS-E-5.2.6 SS-E-2.1.1 SS-E-2.2.1 SS-E-2.1.2 SS-M-2.1.2 POS-SS-P-CS-1 Art and Humanities: AH-P-SA-U-2 AH-P-HA-U-1 AH-P-PCA-U-1 AH-P-SA-U-3 AH-P-HA-U-2 AH-P-PCA-U-2 AH-P-SA-S-VA1 AH-P-HA-U-3 AH-P-PCA-U-3 AH-P-SA-S-VA2 AH-P-HA-S-VA3 AH-P-PCA-S-VA1
AH-P-SA-S-VA3 AH-P-PC-S-VA1 AH-4-SA-U-2 AH-4-HA-U-1 AH-4-PCA-U-1 AH-4-SA-U-3 AH-4-HA-U-2 AH-4-PCA-U-2 AH-4-SA-S-VA1 AH-4-HA-U-3 AH-4-PCA-U-3 AH-4-SA-S-VA2 AH-4-HA-S-VA3 AH-4-PCA-S-VA1 AH-4-SA-S-VA3 AH-4-PC-S-VA1 AH-5-SA-U-2 AH-5-HA-U-1 AH-5-PCA-U-1 AH-5-SA-U-3 AH-5-HA-U-2 AH-5-PCA-U-2 AH-5-SA-S-VA1 AH-5-HA-U-3 AH-5-PCA-U-3 AH-5-SA-S-VA2 AH-5-HA-S-VA3 AH-5-PCA-S-VA1 AH-5-SA-S-VA3 AH-5-PC-S-VA1 AH-6-SA-U-2 AH-6-HA-U-1 AH-6-PCA-U-1 AH-6-SA-U-3 AH-6-HA-U-2 AH-6-PCA-U-2 AH-6-SA-S-VA1 AH-6-HA-U-3 AH-6-PCA-U-3 AH-6-SA-S-VA2 AH-6-HA-S-VA3 AH-6-PCA-S-VA1 AH-6-SA-S-VA3 AH-6-PC-S-VA1 This project is very simple and can be adjusted and embellished to meet your students needs. Kites will be displayed outside*of the LASC during our annual Day of the Dead Festival on Saturday, November 1 st, 2014 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. The LASC will provide starter kits that contain most of the materials that you will need to participate in this year s Community Schools Art Project. These starter kits will be available beginning Monday, August 25 th at the LASC and be available until supplies run out. Please contact Gallery Director Jeffrey Nichols at (859)252-5222 or jnichols@lasclex.org to receive a starter kit and have your students kites displayed during the Living Arts and Science Center s Day of the Dead Festival on Saturday, November 1 st from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. This year s festival is being held in conjunction with our exhibition Diverse Traditions: Imagery and Symbols in Latin America on display October 6th November 1 st. *The LASC will not be responsible for damages that occur to kites displayed outside due to inclement weather or other unforeseen forces. Diverse Traditions: Imagery and Symbols in Latin America and the LASC s Art Discovery field trips available during Day of the Dead Celebration* The LASC s annual Day of the Dead exhibition brings together the rich visual traditions of this holiday that celebrates the memories of family, friends and other public figures. Presented in conjunction with our Day of the Dead Festival, this annual exhibition features artists of Latino
heritage or artists that make work in response to the celebration Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This year s exhibition pairs the incredible talents of two celebrated regional artists Soreyda Benedit Begley and Rebeca Calderón Pittman with artist Robert Morgan s private collection of historical masks from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala, as we explore the diverse imagery and symbols used during Day of the Dead and other celebrations in Latin America. Originally from Honduras and now residing in Lexington, fashion designer Soreyda Benedit Begley creates works from recycled and repurposed materials and transforms them into elegant pieces art. Begley will produce a new dress for this exhibition that will incorporate Day of the Dead imagery derived from her native Honduras. Through her current work, Cincinnati artist Rebeca Calderón Pittman will present colorful abstract paintings and digital prints that reflect the vibrant colors of her Caribbean homeland, Guatemala. Pittman will create a work specifically for the exhibition based on Day of the Dead celebration practices in Guatemala (Guatemalan Giant Kites). Reflecting more traditional Day of the Dead imagery, the exhibit will also showcase the masks from the private collection of Lexington artist Robert Morgan. Collected from many years of travel to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala, Morgan s masks will effectively illustrate the subtle regional differences of symbols used during Day of the Dead and other festivals throughout Latin America. In the LASC s library, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) experts Jacobo and Janice Aragon will create a traditional Mexican altar contain symbols and imagery typically found in the southern regions of Mexico that will be on display for the duration of the exhibition. *The LASC offers Art Discovery field trips that are composed of two components, a visual presentation (Art Discovery Exhibition) and art activity (Art Discovery Studio) based upon the featured gallery exhibition. For more information about our Art and Science Discovery programs please click here or contact Gallery Director Jeffrey Nichols at (859)252-5222 or jnichols@lasclex.org to schedule a field trip. Please consider booking early your Art Discovery field trip during our Day of the Dead celebration due to the limited number of days the exhibition will be on display and the number of spaces available (October 6 th November 1 st ). Below you will find important dates for participating in our annual Community Schools Art Project for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) here at the LASC. Calendar for participating in the LASC s Community Schools Art Project August 25 th : Starter kits will be available for pick-up at the LASC beginning on this date. October 6 th 24 th :*Completed kites can be dropped off at the LASC for display during our Day of the Dead Festival. La Catrina by José Guadalupe Posad November 1 st : Day of the Dead Festival at LASC from 5:00pm-9:00pm November 4 th November 14 th : Retrieve your students kites! *Teachers are responsible for picking-up their students kites. *We will also attempt to pick-up and drop-off kites at schools with more than one class participating.
Click here to find your Community Schools Art Project drop off information sheet. Please fill out and hand in along will your student s kites. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) With its origins based in ancient Mesoamerican culture and Catholicism and celebrated in Mexico and throughout Latin America, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time of joyous celebration when the souls of past loved ones are remembered. Through the creation of an ofrenda or altar (memorial), the departed are enticed to return to earth for one day each year. On November 1 st, known as the Night of the Angels, the souls of children are welcomed back. The following day of November 2 nd, All Souls Day, all others spirits are encouraged to visit Earth again. This is accomplished through the construction of an ofrenda or altar (memorial) that presents earthly favorites of food, drink, and cherished objects to the souls of the departed. Guatemalan Kite Festival, Santiago Sacatepéquez, Guatemala Guatemalan Kite Festival during Day of the Dead During Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the people of Santiago Sacatepéquez, Guatemala construct giant kites to fly over the local cemetery to honor the dead and connect to their Mayan heritage. The brightly colored kites which can reach up to 90 feet in height are made of tissue paper with a cloth backing. Bamboo is used for construction of the frames. Originally, young men of the
village created the kites. Today, both men and women participate in the creation of these amazing works of art. Together, they discuss and select themes for their designs. Themes may be political, religious, or cultural and often depict events in the national news. After their construction, smaller versions of the giant kites are flown in the nearby cemetery on November 1 st to honor the dead with thousands of people in attendance. Over the years, the event has grown to include not just the villagers of Santiago but visitors from all around the world. For the festival, the townspeople spend the day cleaning and decorating with flowers the graves of the departed. This activity is similar to our memorial day. Traditionally, the building of the kites starts 40 days before Day of the Dead. Because of their costs, many of the giant kites have sponsors supporting their construction. The first day is marked by the unmarried men of the village heading out early in the morning to collect bamboo for the kites frames. This is a labor intensive process and serves as a rite of passage for many of the participants. Much of the materials used in the construction of the kites are found in the local environment. The glue is a mixture of water, yucca flower, and lemon peel. The ropes are made from area plants and the tails are made from woven cloth. There are three main styles of giant kites produced for the festival: the Crown, Diamond, and Moon kites. Connected to their Mayan ancestry, the Guatemalan practice of flying kites during the Day of the Dead has been around for thousands of years. It is believed that through this practice the living have a way to communicating with the departed. The tradition of making colorful giant kites and flying them over the cemeteries of Guatemala is fairly recent going back only 110 years. For the village of Santiago Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, this kite festival severs as a rite of passage, helps strengthen community bonds, and is viewed as a way to celebrate and honoring the dead. Kits available from the LASC contain the following (available starting August 25 th ): 100 count 12 bamboo skewers (two to three per student) 15 white kitchen size trash bags (one bag will produce two kites enough for 30 students) Supplies you will need to create Guatemalan kites with your students: color markers (Sharpie) scissors transparent tape nylon string for flying kites trash bag ties (one to two per student)
Addition supplies you will need if you did not receive a LASC starter kit: white kitchen size trash bags (one per student) 12 bamboo skewers (two to three per student) or 100 pack Alternative approaches for decorating kites using other materials instead of makers (Sharpies)* acrylic paints - Suggestion: Experiment using acrylic paints or any other alternative art material so that you can easily demonstrate them to your students. * Please feel free to experiment to find other ways for decorating. Remember: These kites will be displayed outside so they need to be slightly weather proof. Kite #1 (Diamond Kite)* *Suggestion: Make a kite or two before your lesson so that it will be easier to demonstrate to your students. 1. Take two of the bamboo skewers and make a mark at the halfway point on both. On only one of the skewers, divide the half again and mark it.
2. Using a trash bag tie, connect the two skewers together. The connection point will be at the single divide point on the cross member skewer and at the quarter divide mark on the up-down skewer. Make sure the connection is tight by twisting the tie several times. Suggestion: Take a moment to experiment connecting the skewers together so that you can easily demonstrate the process to your students. 3. Have students split the white trash bag into two sides by cutting the inner seam. One bag will produce two kites. 4. Laying the kite plastic down flat on a table placing the bamboo skewer frame on top. At the ends of each of the skewers mark a dot on the plastic with a sharpie. Using a ruler, connect the dots to create the kite s distinctive diamond shape. Important suggestion: Create a key on one of the skewer points and the plastic to help line up the frame and the kite s skin later in the process.
5. Flip the kite s skin over. Using makers, create a design on the plastic to decorate the kite. You can also use alternative art materials for decorating your students kites (view alternative approaches above). Please feel free to experiment to find other ways for decorating. Remember: These kites will be displayed outside so they need to be slightly weather proof. Suggestion: The Guatemalan tradition is to develop a theme. Have your students decide on a class theme that they will incorporate into each of their individual kites. Also, show your students examples of kites created for the Guatemalan Kite Festival that you find on the internet. 6. Using scissors, cut out the kite s diamond shaped outline. 7. With the design on the other side and the kite s skin laying flat on a table (blank side facing up) line the skewer key and the plastic key together. Using transparent tape, tape the bamboo frame to the plastic.
8. Create a tail for the kite by cutting a strip out of the remaining plastic and connecting it to the kite s bottom using transparent tape. Students may need to experiment with the weight of their tail to make it fly better. 9. Connect the nylon string to the center point of the bamboo frame by poking two small holes and tying a knot. Now you can test your creation to see if it will fly!
Kite #2 (Moon Kite)* *This kite is a little more complicated to create the bamboo skewer frame. It may be better suited for an older group of students. Suggestion: Make a kite or two before your lesson so that you can decide if it will meet your students abilities and help make it easier to demonstrate to your students.
1. Take three of the bamboo skewers and make a mark at the halfway point on all three. Place one of the skewers up-down on a table. Than form a cross or x using the other two skewers. 2. Using two trash bag ties connect the skewers together. The connection point will be at dividing point on all three skewers. Make sure the connection point is snug by twisting the tie several times. Suggestion: Take a moment to experiment connecting the three skewers together so that you can easily demonstrate the process to your students. 3. Have students split the white trash bag into two sides by cutting the inner seam. One bag will produce two kites. 4. Laying the kite plastic down flat on a table placing the bamboo skewer frame on top. At the ends of each of the skewers mark a dot on the plastic with a sharpie. Using a ruler, connect the dots to create the kite s outline shape. Important suggestion: Create a key on one of the skewer points and the plastic to help line up the frame and the kite s skin later in the process.
5. Flip the kite s skin over. Using makers, create a design on the plastic to decorate the kite. You can also use alternative art materials for decorating your students kites (view alternative approaches above). Please feel free to experiment to find other ways for decorating. Remember: These kites will be displayed outside so they need to be slightly weather proof. Suggestion: The Guatemalan tradition is to develop a theme. Have your students decide on a class theme that they will incorporate into each of their individual kites. Also, show your students examples of kites created for the Guatemalan Kite Festival that you find on the internet. 6. Using scissors cut out the kite s outline. 7. With the design on the other side and the kite s skin laying flat on a table (blank side facing up) line the skewer key and the plastic key together. Using transparent tape, tape the bamboo frame to the plastic.
8. Create a tail for the kite by cutting a strip out of the remaining plastic and connecting it to the kite s bottom using transparent tape. Students may need to experiment with the weight of their tail to make it fly better. 9. Connect the nylon string to the center point of the bamboo frame by poking two small holes and tying a knot. Now you can test your creation to see if it will fly!
Congratulations! Your students are now the proud owners of a Guatemalan kite ready for display! Thank you so much for participating in our community art project! We cannot wait to see your students wonderful art! Please contact Gallery Director Jeffrey Nichols at (859)252-5222 or jnichols@lasclex.org to have your students kites displayed during the Living Arts and Science Center s Day of the Dead Festival on Saturday, November 1 st, 2014. The Living Arts and Science Center 362 N Martin Luther King Blvd Lexington, KY 40508 859-252-5222 www.lasclex.org