SOLIS SRLS, with its staff Ana Maria Solis and Domingo Ferrandis, is collaborating on the ArtTech Project. Specifically, we are developing the “Cross-Cultural Creative Digital Art Workshop” in Italy, within the ArtTech Project coordinated by FUTOUR. This initiative focuses on promoting empathy and respect through storytelling and digital art. The workshop is conducted over several sessions during June, July, and August, bringing together 8 young women from diverse backgrounds in Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Colombia to explore the profound connections between technology, art, and cultural understanding.
We delve into the theme of empathy and respect, encouraging participants to share their experiences and thoughts. Through active listening, perspective-taking, empathy mapping, and cultural humility, we build a foundation of mutual respect and understanding.
Simultaneously, we explore narrative photography as a powerful communication tool. Each photograph has the potential to tell a unique story, creating a connection between the image and the viewer, stimulating imagination, and evoking deep emotions. Visual storytelling helps create an emotional context through the use of colors, lighting, and visual details, allowing viewers to connect emotionally with the image.
Our young participants use AI-based tools to create images that visually represent concepts of empathy in multicultural contexts. This exercise helps them better visualize and understand others' experiences, reinforcing the importance of empathy as a communication tool. Narrative photography is crucial in this process, enabling the creation of effective visual narratives through key elements such as the protagonist, the physical and temporal context, and the emotional atmosphere.
These workshops demonstrate how the integrated use of storytelling and photographic technology can promote inclusion and empowerment among young women, providing them with the tools to express their experiences and connect meaningfully with others.
Additionally, design and painting are used to express themes and emotions, adding a deep layer of meaning to the stories. Each story combines these disciplines in perfect harmony to create a vivid and complete experience. Participants address ideas ranging from the nostalgia of new beginnings to overcoming barriers and pursuing dreams in an unfamiliar environment.
This summer, the ArtTech Project has been gaining momentum by experimenting with new artistic expressions through storytelling.
