Art is an international language that can foster understanding and tolerance between different cultures. An excellent example of this is presented in Kiboko Projects: Art, Education, and Cultural Exchange Projects by artistic director Mark Scheflen and executive director Jill Raufman. The stated goal of the program is for “children and adults in different countries to share their stories and learn about each other’s way of life through a cultural dialogue using creative media such as masks, photo diaries, and video.” Initially sparked by a collaboration between Mark Scheflen and a bishop in Kenya to develop a small youth project for a local community, the scope broadened into an international effort and expanded to include several locations in Africa, the United States, and Russia. Narratives and photographs document the individual projects.

As a former Peace Corps Volunteer and a sometime resident of Africa who held art classes with neighborhood children and youth, I found Kiboko Projects by Mark Scheflen and Jill Raufman to be a fascinating presentation and an inspiring story. The initiative shown by the authors to develop, fund, and carry out these projects on three continents while fully employed in their business and professional careers was exemplary. The photographs of the participants and their artwork, especially the masks, are utterly engaging. I can see why museums and public spaces welcomed the exhibits as they convey so much about different cultures and life experiences. Whether you have an interest in art education, international cultural relations, community and youth development programs, or anything in between, there is something wonderful about these art and creative expression projects from different places and cultures that will inspire you.

Have you ever made a mask? Did you create the mask by plastering your face to get an exact (or at least a close to exact) imprint of your face? And then you painted it with all sorts of colors and symbols that you believed reflected who you are? Masks are certainly one way to present your own social identity. But there are others. Many of us were tasked at school with writing daily journals. A more creative educator may have chosen a different way to record life’s daily happenings, like making a photo diary using still pictures, video clips, bookmaking and so much more. Recording thoughts, dreams, and hardships that define us is a form of expression, one that defines who we are and helps others appreciate us for our unique qualities.

“Our face is our most social self; it tells who we are in relation to our community, culture, time, and place in history.” So true! The opening lines in Mark Scheflen and Jill Raufman’s book, Kiboko Projects: Art, Education, and Cultural Exchange Projects, attract readers to an adventure in creativity that will have educators and childcare workers exploring another realm of possibilities. The authors developed this project of art exchange between countries, both physically and social-economically worlds apart, to bring creative young minds together in a visual world that uniquely defines them. They called it the Kiboko Projects: “Kiboko means “hippo” in Swahili and was inspired by some hippos I saw in Botswana.” Their book documents some of the work the young people have done, and the stories they’ve shared through creative expression, primarily masks. The authors tell their story, then share the stories of some of the young people they worked with, as well as wonderful illustrations of their work. Art really can, and does, bring the world together in more ways than one. I found this a fascinating read.