Kete questionnaire: Rebecca Fawkner on Ziggle! Len Lye and inspiring future artists
Rebecca Fawkner is a teacher and has worked at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth for 20 years. She has just compiled one of the most unique art activity books for Kiwi kids – and beyond - packed with ideas inspired by acclaimed New Zealand artist Len Lye. Here she explains how, and why, she did it and the ways in which we need Len Lye to inspire a new generation of budding artists.
“Ziggle is word Len came up with to describe movement in a film, he loved playing with
language, there are quite a few language-based activities to try out on the book. All fun!”
Writing a book about an artist whose work and interests were as eclectic as Len Lye seems incredibly ambitious so where did the idea come from?
You are right, it certainly it did feel quite ambitious. We (the education team at the Len Lye Centre) dreamt up the idea many years ago. A book that shares the richness of Len’s art with kids at home in the same way that we share his art with them on a school visit or holiday programme seemed indispensable to us. We wanted it to come from the home of his art, so it became clear what must be done and who must do it.
What was the process of bringing it all together and how did you hit upon the structure for it?
It kicked off with a list of tried and true activities that we knew kids loved and grew from there. As you mention Len’s art spreads across may areas so we tried out a few different structures. It was tricky to decide but we finally landed on covering themes in a chronological order as Len discovered them. That said there are plenty of times that we break that rule (as Len himself probably would have done).
How long did it take?
So long! This is my first experience as an author so I came out with a new appreciation of the work that goes into it. Thank goodness for the fabulous team at Massey University Press or else I’d still be there pottering around, changing my mind, and then changing it back. Was it year? It’s all a blur.
What challenged you the most – and, equally, delighted you?
Maybe easier to say what didn’t challenge me? Coming up with activity ideas is big part my job so I get lots of practice at that but writing them up so a young reader can follow the idea and instructions without me standing next to them explaining was certainly challenging. As was dealing with all the curatorial detail and making sure we got it right. I loved the research element to the project, I learnt lots more about Len which really only made me more enthusiastic about sharing his story.
“When faced with an artmaking moment more kids seem worried about doing the wrong thing. We find ourselves doing more coaching on how to deal with a stuff up or what to do when you don’t know what to do. Len faced all of these issues himself and has some great strategies,” - Rebecca Fawkner (pictured).
What challenged you the most – and, equally, delighted you?
Maybe easier to say what didn’t challenge me? Coming up with activity ideas is big part my job so I get lots of practice at that but writing them up so a young reader can follow the idea and instructions without me standing next to them explaining was certainly challenging. As was dealing with all the curatorial detail and making sure we got it right. I loved the research element to the project, I learnt lots more about Len which really only made me more enthusiastic about sharing his story.
How many of the activities did you try – and did you have a favourite?
Most of the activities are well tested by tamariki during the years and I have learnt by experience always to try out an idea first myself before sharing it with kids. However during the process of making sure the Len Lye story was told in the way it should be, there were a few last minute additions, some are quite ‘experimental.’
What did you learn – about art, about yourself and Len Lye – in the course of writing Ziggle!?
At the beginning of the book I state that if Len was alive now he might be surprised at some of the activities. As educators we approach Len’s work in quite a different way to a curator or historian as our job is to connect the young people of today with his work and help them find inspiration from it. So when we first developed activities for the book that reflected that contemporary lens we learnt that our Len Lye can look a bit different to other’s Len Lyes.
How did you come up with the title?
Ziggle is word Len came up with to describe movement in a film, he loved playing with language, there are quite a few language-based activities to try out on the book. All fun!
A page from Ziggle! The Len Lye Art Activity Book.
How did you become interested in art – did it develop from childhood and what do you think lit the spark?
I come from an intensely arty family there would be no way of avoiding it. That said I didn’t study Art at secondary school but Art History so working in a gallery with kids I’m in my element.
How did you ‘meet’ Len Lye?
Lots of New Plymouth kids grew up being excited / terrified by Len’s kinetic sculpture but I didn’t meet him properly until started work at the Govett- Brewster 20 years ago.
You’ve said that the goal is to help children see themselves as artists. Why is it important that our young ones think like that?
I think its okay as adults that we don’t all do art every day and of course it will be more natural for some people than others, but there are so many benefits to making creativity part of your life. Music, dance, stitching, writing, carving, the list goes on (my personal favourites include doing arty stuff with flowers and synchronised swimming) where would we be without it? In this world where perfection is so valued, kids need to keep their confidence up and keep giving things a go.
Having worked at the Govett-Brewster for 20 years, you would have seen a lot of children come through. How do you think their relationship with art has changed in that time?
Indeed, I have. When faced with an art making moment more kids seem worried about doing the wrong thing. We find ourselves doing more coaching on how to deal with a stuff up or what to do when you don’t know what to do. Len faced all of these issues himself and has some great strategies.
What do we risk missing when we’re all so busy – and on screens so often – when we neglect the “easily ignored details of the world?”
Len described himself as a “ body guy.” I feel like he’d be shocked to find out how so many of us are becoming increasingly detached from the world around us. Feeling the natural world through your own bodily sense of space and movement sounds like a wonderful aim to me.
Ziggle! The Len Lye Art Activity Book by Rebecca Fawkner (Massey University Press, $35.00) is out now.
