What Do You See?
To be able to see, to learn to analyse and know each other. To fight against racism, accept the other and avoid prejudices.
Request the group to create two rows facing one another. Everybody should have a pair in front of them. Ask each pair facing each other to observe one another from a distance of 35cm, and to draw a portrait of the other and then reverse roles.
When they finish allow each other to show their creations.
In plenary debrief the exercise. Facilitator may use the following guiding questions:
How was it different to observe your counterpart at such a short distance?
How can this reflect on how we perceive others and our judgements from afar? What were the features that struck you most while depicting the other?
Were there any self-projections while sketching the other? What were these projections based on?
What differences and similarities did you sense during this encounter?
In some cultural context participants may feel uncomfortable on this short distances and the detailed observation. You may use this in your debriefing questions.
Nobody should feel ashamed of their artistic abilities. The exercise in not about creating pieces of art.