“We think with the objects we love; we love the objects we think with” (Turkle, 2011).

During our first Expressive Arts and Culture input we were asked to explore the potential of evocative objects for teaching and learning. We were required to bring in an object that was significant, and emotive to each of us personally and discuss the item of our choosing. What I soon realised from our discussions and reflections is that any object, from anywhere, has the potential to be evocative and spark memories, provoke thoughts, and evoke feelings and emotions. The class brought in a huge variety of items including photos, coins, pieces of jewellery, a violin, books, and keys… Every single object came with it’s own unique story to be told.

“Thinking about the uncanny, about thresholds and boundaries helps us understand these objects with their universal powers of evocation” (Turkle, 2011).

I chose to reflect on an old copy of my favourite book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.  It is a book that I have had for a number of years and it holds great sentimental value. The Philosopher’s Stone is one of the first novels I can remember being read to as a child, and I have avidly turned it’s pages many times since. I believe this story is what sparked my love of books, fantasy as a genre, and also why I was so enthusiastic and engaged with creative writing at school.  This book has moved houses with me three times, been on various holidays, and I have now started reading the Harry Potter series to my younger sister. It therefore has so many connections to my childhood, hobbies, and my family.

As this object holds such value for me, it is the perfect inspiration for a piece of writing and/or art. Inspired by the book “26 Treasures” Diarmund asked us to produce a piece of writing in 62 words or less themed around our evocative object. Below is my piece, through which I would later combine text, image, and sound to create my final, multi-sensory piece.

This activity could also be completed in a classroom. Allowing children the opportunity to be creative using an object that they find powerful gives the work meaning. It lets them reflect on their thoughts and emotions and ensures that the learner and their ideas are at the heart of the creative process.  As stated by Cone (2009), one of the most powerful opportunities educators can provide is allowing learners to express themselves through the Expressive Arts, letting children create their own ideas.

References

Cone, T. P. (2009) Following Their Lead: Supporting Children’s Ideas for Creating Dances. Journal of Dance Education. pp.81–89.

Turkle, S. (2011). Evocative objects. 1st ed. Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press.