Picasso’s art inspires youth of Broughshane

Work on the project, known as ‘Kids Guernica’ has been ongoing at the village youth club.

Kids Guernica is part of a global project that has so far been completed in more than 46 different countries around the world.

The project references Pablo Picasso’s massive painting ‘The Guernica’, which is perhaps the most well known and powerful art work for peace ever created in the history of mankind

Two groups of young people will create two large canvasses (3.5m x 7.8m or 30ft x 12ft) portraying their colourful hopes for a brighter and better future.

The large mural style paintings will then go on public exhibition in the Glens area and also in Derry/Londonderry – as part of the prestigious City of Culture celebrations.

Two Kids Guernica paintings will be produced in Broughshane and Cushendall as a cross community project organized by Belfast Flags groups, which recently produced 10,000 art flags and exhibited them as a line of bunting along the Belfast Peace wall.

This display was the biggest community project ever seen in Belfast.

The Kids Guernica project is being implemented by artist Raymond Watson, who feels the young people will gain enormous benefits from partipating in the scheme.

He said,: “This is a brilliant opportunity to bring an internationally known project to a local community.

“These paintings are on a massive scale. The Japanese organizers took me on a tour of more than 20 of the large paintings last year when they were exhibited publicly in Guernica, the ancient Basque capital. They were extremely powerful.

“Working with the young people from this area is great and I look forward to exhibiting their completed painting.”

Mandy Moorhead, of Broughshane Youth Club, added: “This is an exciting project and a great opportunity for local youth.

“To have our young people involved in a project of this importance is just superb and they have really enjoyed the experience.”