PROTEST SIGN WORKSHOP W/ DAVE THE CHIMP

URBAN NATION is not only known as the MUSEUM FOR URBAN CONTEMPORARY ART and the small and large artworks that enrich Berlin’s cityscape, but also for its social commitment. Various workshops offer children and young people the opportunity to discover the various techniques of urban and street art and to become creative. The Protest Sign Workshop with the artist Dave the Chimp also dealt with a political aspect – the Fridays For Future protest movement.

The youth movement Fridays For Future has been attracting a lot of attention since March this year. The global movement is driven by schoolchildren who are campaigning for tougher and more effective climate protection measures. They protest publicly on Fridays. For many children and young people, the participation in this self-organized and grassroots democratic protest movement means to develop first democratic and political activities and to deal with signs and slogans in order to express their concerns and make them visible. Those who have followed the media coverage know the imaginative and creative signs and banners of this youth movement.

The fourth global protest of Fridays For Future took place on November 29th. In Berlin alone more than 60.000 people took part – not only pupils, but all those who support the climate and demand a “new start” in climate policy in Germany. One day before this “Global Climate Strike”, URBAN NATION invited children and young people to a workshop with Dave the Chimp to explore the aesthetic language of protest movements, develop their own slogans and put them on protest signs.

The theme of protest is part of the very humorous work of Dave the Chimp. His “Human Beans”, a mixture of illustration and character, are true protesters. The orange beans with their funny and striking protest signs can be found in large numbers in Berlin and are distributed by the artist as prints on postcards, posters and stickers.

Short, clear slogans creatively designed are real eye-catchers at demonstrations and quickly explain what the people protesting really want. The participants of our common workshop already brought great ideas with them. Together with Dave, these were then artistically designed using various techniques.

It was an exciting afternoon with many creative ideas, but also exciting discussions among each other on the subject of climate protection. An exchange with very different perspectives and points of view, but above all with children and young people who express their opinions – and want to be heard.