Children's art exhibition unboxes whimsical ideas about time

When seen through children's eyes, time takes many shapes: a kitten's everlasting companionship, Van Gogh's countless paintings before finding an audience, or the quiet loss of a tooth in old age.

These whimsical ideas are unwrapped in the "Time: To Be, To Mean" exhibition at Ecool in Liangjiang New Area. Running until June 4, it was created by children from St. Lakeshore Kindergarten as part of their philosophical education program.

The exhibition starts with tangible creative expressions that showcase children's sensory explorations of time via sight, sound, and touch. Texts, canvases, ceramics, cassette tapes, and other art forms capture their responses to the existential query "What is time?"

Children's imaginative thoughts about time are turned into calendar cards. [Photo provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn] 

Following the artistic embodiment of time, three dynamic chapters - Time Flies, Sense Time, and Time Bank - unlock infinite possibilities in children's minds.

In the Sense Time chapter, the Forever Tree shows the children's ideas on eternity. Colorful handwritten cards hang from it, bearing messages like "Forever means always being with Mom" and "Forever is love hidden in the heart". 

"Eternity represents our most beautiful hopes for relationships and emotions. Forever Tree weaves children's associations of eternity into art installations and conveys their tender feelings through the interplay of light and shadow," explained Hu Jingwen, curator of the exhibition.

Colorful handwritten cards hang on the tree. [Photo provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn] 

Time Bank draws inspiration from To Sell Time, an Italian picture book by Giulio Levi. After reading it, the children proposed trading unwanted time for desired moments. Hu said, "The trading process reflects how children reconstruct time, embracing some moments while rejecting others, revealing their thoughts on meaningful living." 

Time Bank allows children to write down moments they wish to exchange, shredding unwanted ones and purchasing desired ones. With their parents' consent, they can redeem purchased moments.

A child puts his unwanted time into a shredder at the Time Bank. [Photo provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn]

"One child wanted to sell wartime to prevent suffering, while another sought to purchase some playtime due to over-scheduling. The choices reflect their inner world; some are surprising," Hu shared.

"Time: To Be, To Mean" is the second exhibition presented by the Children and Philosophy program, which integrates universal and urgent philosophical topics into disciplinary engagement. In this initiative, teachers guide children through philosophical inquiry and assist them in channeling their perspectives into various art forms. 

Qiao Zheng, principal of the kindergarten, explained that the program was initiated in 2023, when a child's grief over family loss sparked discussions about life and death on the campus. 

"This year's exhibition shows how children perceive time as concrete, subjective, and emotional. Through the program, we hope to nurture and maintain their curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking. These are essential qualities to combat emotional detachment during growth, especially with the widespread anxiety of the AI era," Qiao emphasized.