Painting Bridges Charity Exhibition

Scholas Occurrentes

Solidary Exhibition Painting Bridges

In addition to the initiative of Scholas Occurrentes “Pintando Puentes” , which took place in Rome. With the aim of giving art a central place in the emergence of a new educational paradigm, the solidarity initiative organized by Origen World Wide “Pintando Puentes” took place in Rome, with the participation of prestigious plastic artists of the world who joined this initiative of Scholas donating some of their works.

Objective

Promote the culture of encounter through educational change using art.

The Idea

The exhibition was composed of works by world-renowned artists such as Domingo Zapata, Jordi Mollá, Denise de la Rue, Alejandro Sanz, Romero Brito or Mr. Brainwash, among many others, who thus supported the educational programs that Scholas carries out throughout the world through art.

The works were blessed by Pope Francis and he had the opportunity to greet personally the artists who participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, Spanish artist Domingo Zapata gave a brushstroke with Pope Francis on a glass plate.

The piece was broadcast on one of the major Times Square screens in New York City with the title “Education Start with Art” and will be part of a worldwide solidarity exhibition that will be held in major cities around the world.

Related news:

Message addressed mainly to young people.

The Origin of “Painting Bridges”

October 2017, Scholas arrives in San Antonio de los Cobres (in the province of Salta, Argentina) with the intention of developing the Citizenship program with the youth of the city. It is only a few hours before the participants begin to show their real concern: in the last year, 30 boys had taken their lives.

Schoolmates, neighbors, friends… no media collected this data. The aim of this meeting with the young people immediately became nothing other than to reverse that tragedy through education, a reality that was tormenting a generation of young people. Helping them create a life project, to revive hope.

Teens overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol decided to end their lives by throwing themselves off the Huaytiquina bridge, which they called “the bridge the solution.”

They themselves decided to turn that place of pain, of hopelessness and fear into a place of life, of hope and of color, the color of their palettes painting this symbol.

This story, and the brushes that changed it, were given to Pope Francis by the young people who made it possible.

His Holiness replied: “You give me an instrument with which they began a process for that people to change, with a brush. To change the world, little is enough, provided it is guided by the heart. A brush was your peace, to give life to a bridge of death, but because it was guided by a heart. Take care of the heart that is the most beautiful thing God gave us.”

From that moment on, this initiative was born in which art is a foundation for the education of young people.