Children's international art exhibition.

Multicultural and interdisciplinary concepts were both well served this past August at the 28th World Congress of INSEA (International Society for Education through Art) held in Montreal, Quebec. The theme of the conference, based upon Paul Gauguin's monumental painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, provided the impetus to one of the largest and most impressive child art exhibits ever mounted.

The Children's International Art Exhibition represented thirty-two countries showing more than 2,000 works in three Montreal venues. A stunning centerpiece of the exhibit was The Christmas Reveillon, a 60' long table with forty-two, full-size papier-mache figures seated around a holiday table laden with food, bottles, dinnerware and related utensils. Looking much like Judy Chicago's Dinner Party (times four), the installation was created by more than 1,000 students, ages nine to twelve, supervised by art teachers from the Montreal Catholic School Commission (CECM)

A careful look at any of the works reveals commonalities and differences in children's art from the various countries represented. Art from nations such as Bosnia, Lebanon and Kenya often included images of war and terror, while work from other sectors showed more positive images of everyday life.

Complementing the exhibition was Children's Art: A World View, a handsome publication showing a sampling from the exhibition, featuring an essay on the exhibition by former School Arts editor, David Baker. A limited number of these publications, designed and printed by Art Image Publications and sponsored by Binney & Smith, Inc., are available. A copy may be obtained by writing to P.O. Box 431, Eston, PA 18044-0431, Attn: Diane Hewitt.