EXHIBITIONS AT THE NORMAL FESTIVAL 2008
Lester’s World
November 1 – 13, 2008Aero Cinema lobby, Biskupcova 31, Praha 3
Lester Magoogan is a young man with a unique perspective on life. The world and people around him are captured in his simple but evocative line drawings, which bring a smile to the face of all who see them. To meet Lester, laugh and smile with his drawings and be imbued with his contagious love of life and bubbling personality, is an experience not to be missed. Lester’s World exhibition opens people’s eyes as to the depths of Lester’s observational drawing powers even though he cannot really read or write, and has the condition of Down’s Syndrome.
Ctibor Bachratý, Šymon: Portraits
November 9 – 22, 2008Krásný ztráty bar, Náprstkova 10, Praha 1
An exhibition of photos presenting the actors from the Slovak Theatre 'From The Passage'. They may be labeled „people with learning disabilities“ but the exhibition is clear proof that such a label would be rather short-sighted. People in the portraits by Ctibor Bachratý and Šymon are not primarily characterized by their handicap. They are individuals with personal charisma which enables them to pursue careers as actors. Each photograph pictures these actors in a unique way.
WORKSHOPS AT THE NORMAL FESTIVAL 2008
o.s. Seqence: Comics as the means of communication with people with autism
Monday, November 10, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.Roxy/NoD Experimental Space, Dlouhá 33, Praha 1
The workshop will introduce one method of communication with autistic people. This method uses comic strips and short animated cartoons. The lecturers will talk about comic narratives from the cognitive as well as the creative point of view and they will try to identify the pros and cons of comic methods in psycho-diagnostics. They will also mention diagnostic/therapeutic methods used abroad, introduce certain realisations created in Inventura's workshops and suggest a principle of long-term therapeutic work with comic materials using the example of the publication „Comic Strip Conversation“.
The tutorial will feature a lecture by comic scenarist and producer Tomáš Hibi Matějíček and a therapist with a rich experience in working with people with learning disabilities Kateřina Benešová.
Identity: Workshop with the OskaBright Film Festival
Wednesday, November 12, 10:00 – 12:30 a.m., 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.Aero Cinema, Biskupcova 31, Praha 3
Matthew Hellet, a young man with learning disability and author of several films, is
actively involved in organisational team of the OskaBright film festival. He will come
to Prague as one of the guests of Normal Festival. In a multimeadia environment
created in the Aero Cinema he will experience a journey from Brighton to Prague and
from the male into the female body. Filmmakers from courses of Inventura o.s. will
assist him. The workshop, led by Michal Maruška, Petr Kamenický and Zuzana
Strakošová from Masaryk University, will concentrate on the use of new media in
work with people with learning disabilities. A film will be crated at the workshop
and it will be shown to the audience of Normal Festival on Thursday 13th November at 6 p.m. in the Aero Cinema.