Kristián Štupák
playground
Why are people so hateful and intolerant? This was one of my questions when choosing a topic for the ART OF FJÚŽN call. I think that loss of tolerance and a certain form of hatred for otherness is already evident in young children in the kindergarten. I think that it is precisely this negative bias and resistance to something else that can be blamed on the education itself or on the institution itself and at the same time on the society in which the child is brought up. Basically, a child doesn't care whom they play with, as long as they understand the person in that particular social game. The series of illustrations responds to the theme of migration, ethnic minority and otherness. It shows children's games that we played in front of our houses as little children. Whether they are folk-rural or estate games, in each of them the meaning of belonging is transferred that we miss so much. They show the world we have at home by pointing out children's games which, perhaps, everyone who grew up in Slovakia knows. In rhymes and verses, we can notice the heightened importance of solidarity. After all, even in the song Zlatá brána (Golden Gate Open), we sing that it does not matter whether it is her or him, I will not let them leave the gate. The illustrations reflect a child's innocent world replaced by adults and show how easy it is to be more tolerant of minorities and not hold in unnecessary anger. We can all be happier in a multicultural society if people are more considerate, tolerant and rise above what does not harm them in any way. * Illustrations work independently as well as in a single file (image).