Reflective writing- postcards

Our group did a lot of research on our climate crisis area- Hazaribagh in Bangladesh. We found a lot of images and articles related to the harmful impact of the Tanning industry that has turned the rivers black and purple with pollution and scared and burnt the skin of child workers due to the toxic chemicals involved. The alarming and shocking destruction of the area was something we wanted to present through colourful and eyecatching imagery. We began brainstorming, drawing out the scars and injuries described in child worker interviews and then painting the blackened water sources across Hazaribagh. This helped generate ideas and allowed us to discuss as a group the way we would present the climate crisis in a way that would create an emotive and impactful response from viewers. I really enjoyed using visuals to present such an alarming issue as opposed to writing and collecting data as I feel through visuals, the impact is more potent and memorable. Working as a group was really enjoyable and meant our different perspectives shaped the piece into a really interesting and eclectic project.

Report flays Bangladesh tanneries Lives Lost To Leather: Toxic Chemicals Harming Child Workers in Bangladesh - Trusted Clothes

Our task to draw a map and make a postcard was something I felt we take in an interesting direction. After seeing how successful our visual brainstorming was, I proposed that we create a large piece that visually explored the devastating effects of pollution of hazaribagh and also the prominent theme of child labour, poverty, injury and starvation that plagues the locals of the area. This piece was abstract as we felt the ambiguity and colour of the piece would be appealing for the viewer and thus would draw people in to look and understand the meaning of the imagery within the piece. Running through the piece is a skeleton of the rivers within Hazaribagh. The use of a map amid drawings of workers' backs being scared and soar from overworking and injuries from being exposed to toxic chemicals illustrates how destructive has spread and overtaken the area to the point of unfamiliarity.

We backed the piece with cardboard and made a series of postcards all with detailed segments of the piece. I was really happy with how this turned out and the use of postcards felt like a message was being communicated as well as a visual exploration of the destructive nature of the pollution in Bangladesh.

What were the breakthrough moments and how did these come about?

Making the postcards interactive was something that came about through group discussion after we brought our work back to the group and talked about how we could present it. We encouraged students in our class to write messages of how their actions/ thoughts might be changed as a result of seeing our piece. It allowed room for a conversation surrounding cheap clothes and fast fashion that related what could be considered a distant and unrelatable climate crisis to us as teenaged consumers of fashion, reconsidering and discussing our consumering habits when buying clothes.

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