20170825_MUN_CronicaIntergenerational Camp

Throughout this week, young and old have shared numerous experiences around art in the Museum. 30 children, their grandparents and elderly people from the Amma Mutilva and Amma Oblatas residences and from the Ensanche and Pío XII day centers have participated in the activities. "It is a joy to be with the children, they are very excited. They have been the ones who have shown them the Museum and explained the works", explained Palmira, one of the senior citizens who participated in the camp. The aim was to achieve mutual benefits for both groups, such as having a more positive view of the elderly, fostering a greater sense of responsibility in the children, or promoting self-esteem and motivation for everyone.

On Monday, the youngest participants toured the exhibition halls to learn about the Museum's collection. There they discovered Tàpies, Picasso, Rothko and Oteiza among many other artists. The next day, they were the ones who guided the grandparents through the Museum, where they explained the works on display and their particular vision of them. Chloé, on seeing the work Sin degree scroll by Mark Rothko said she saw "energy in the color orange and love in the red". The older children, for their part, were amazed at the depth of the work Franciscan Friar by Jorge Oteiza. " They explained to us that the hole in the sculpture, in the area of the heart, has to do with the fact that the Franciscan has put his heart in others", said María Josefa.  

The children chose the name "experts" for their group to show their elders that they also knew many things. But in I help my grandfather, my grandfather financial aid me, the two groups decorated the leaves of a cardboard tree with what they had learned from each other throughout their lives.

Through drawing the children helped the older people with report problems to remember their childhood home, their first bicycle and other memories. The elderly participants tried to explain their memories to the children so that they could draw them. All of these drawings were used to create a collaborative mural.

"The experience has been great!" shouted Rufino, a 9-year-old boy from Obanos, "the visits have been very special. I have learned that you have to treat the elderly very well because they want to be happy in their last days". When asked if he thought he had helped them or not during this week, he said "Yes! I helped Conchita to paint because she was not very good at it and in the end she took our drawing as a souvenir. Besides, I think I did very well because another one of the grandparents gave me the allowance".

The camp, designed by the Museum and the School of Education and Psychology, has been attended by a total of 8 monitors, student volunteers belonging to different Schools of the University of Navarra, mainly from the School of Education and Psychology, in addition to those of Economics and Philosophy and Letters.