Chicago community artist Guillermo Delgado is collaborating with second-graders on a spontaneous project they're calling Milagros for Boston.
Photo by Guillermo Delgado. Used with permission.
From the artist:
"Milagros for Boston is a tribute by 2nd graders to all the people affected by the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, 2013. Students will create an art installation made of tin milagros (running shoes, hands, and legs) and display it in the storefront window of a local running shop."
Photo by Guillermo Delgado. Used with permission.
If you're not familiar, a milagro is a small charm, usually made of metal, used as part of a prayerful offering. From Wikipedia:
"[Milagros] are used to assist in focusing attention towards a specific ailment, based on the type of charm used. Milagro symbolism is not universal; a milagro of a body part, such as a leg, might be used as part of a prayer or vow for the improvement of a leg; or it might refer to a concept such as travel. Similarly, a heart might represent ideas as diverse as a heart condition, a romance, or any number of other interpretations. Milagros are also carried for protection and good luck."
Photo by Guillermo Delgado. Used with permission.
The artist commented on his Facebook page that "I was inspired by the conversations that I had with my own children yesterday. It's difficult to have these kinds of conversations, but I think we need to. And I couldn't start this morning's class with 2nd graders and teachers without addressing it. Fortunately, they embraced it! The project developed like lightning: ideas, emails, and phone calls. It's a true community collaboration!"
Photo by Guillermo Delgado. Used with permission.
In an email, Delgado told me that "In my twenty years of teaching: this was one of the most powerful and meaningful experiences I have had in the classroom and with children. The teachers agreed too; we were all super into it! It was an amazing experience for all of us."
You can read more about Guillermo Delgado on his website, and keep up with the Milagros for Boston project on Flickr.
Photo by Guillermo Delgado. Used with permission.