'Children's Lives' Exhibition

It was more like visiting a museum, than a temporary exhibition. I find it a great shame that it isn't going to be a permanent fixture, but I hope many more people get to enjoy the vast information and viewing. 

'Letting childhood through the ages speak for itself'

The exhibition was a lot larger than I expected it to be, so an hour dedicated to looking around turned in to half the day browsing all the sections. Although there wasn't much relevance to my project, it didn't stop me from looking at every image/painting and reading every sign. I came away with some very interesting ideas and views on topics I barely knew anything about.

Anybody interested in childhood and upbringing should definitely visit! It is open until the 10th June at Gas Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Leaflet Advertising the Exhibition (Front)

The image that can be seen above is what the promotional leaflets look like. They have been distributed around to attract the public's attention. The photograph on the front instantly shows a picture of innocence. You are drawn in and want to know the little girl's story, the title 'Children's Lives' fits in well because it frames the doorway and is a colour that compliments the image tonality. When you are handing out leaflets which you want people to read, they need to jump out and get noticed; only completely relevant information, an eye-catching image and a size that can be transported easily.

On the back of this leaflet there is a bit more detail about what you will be introduced to walking around the exhibition, as well as contact information and who the project has been supported by. The extra bit of added information is possibly there as a little added push encase you can't decide to visit or not. Listing a couple of Artist's name in the short description is a good idea because you may take an interest in one of them and that may be the reason you go along to the exhibition. The more information you can add to the promotional documents without making it overflow, the better. I have realised that you need to reach out to as many people as possible. Just by looking over this double-sided sheet, I can see that the exhibition will entice interests in the areas of childhood, paintings, artefacts, history, photography, Birmingham to name just a few. The marketing team haven't just focused on an audience who want a history of 'children's lives from the 18th Century to the present day'.

Leaflet (Back)

Once you were inside, after waiting for the extremely slow machine to print the tickets, you had the choice of picking up a booklet designed to go alongside the exhibition. To keep with a consistent and recognisable theme, the same image is used on the front to identify it. People begin to recognise all the products linked with the exhibition if you keep everything consistent. From personal experience I have noticed that you can make a good brand for yourself if everything is recognisable because people will start to associate certain things in one group. This is also a good way to raise profiles and be successful. Especially when it comes to self-promotion material such as a website, letterheads, business cards and so on. 

Front of Exhibition Booklet

As I was making my way around the exhibition and reading all the descriptions in each section, I began to generate questions and find avenues that I never thought to look down related to my current module.

Is 'how children should behave' shaping the way we help them? Are we pushing them in a certain direction; the way we see fit and not what they may necessarily consider as a good life? In the past, children have been shaped by adults and moulded into figures they 'should' be without having a voice of their own. I don't believe this should be the case as all children should be allowed to decide what type of person they want to grow up to be and what direction they want to follow. This is one of the reasons why Childreach International was a chosen path to involve myself with. They work with a organisation in India, which I would love to be a part of, called Shaishav. Within this is a programme (Balsena) that allows children to voice their concern and have their say, instead of adults speaking on their behalf. Even though this programme improves the lives of children, it is still guiding them in a certain direction by giving opportunities which, 'train and create more leaders within the child population... so as to ensure the sustainability of the development process in the region'. It is something that will continue to happen, but the fact that their voices are heard and considered is a great addition to what was once unheard of.

Children need to be asked what makes them happy and what is important to them, not what adults assume the answers are.

©Emily Chapman: 2012
Painted on the exhibition wall surrounded by information on 'What is a child?'

By basing my event around children's experiences and thoughts instead of my own, I believe that I will draw more people in. The event will instantly become more personal and powerful because it will be 'straight from the horses mouth'; their feelings and their images. With all the activities included, I will try to insure that they are influenced by the younger generation as much as possible. When you show a child you are interested in what they have to say, they become more willing to co-operate and work hard because you have a belief in them and are encouraging them to work for success.

I want my exhibition to show; what the Indian children think is positive/negative about their lives and environment, what they hope to achieve in the future and what would they change if they had the chance?

In my feedback forms, I will ask visitors if they are more willing to contribute to the charity knowing that children are being given a voice, and if being shown life through their eyes had made a difference compared to if they were viewing through an adults perception.

In the exhibition booklet at the back, there is a list of related events and talks that might be of interest. On this subject of children being shaped and influenced by adults, the University of Birmingham are holding a small exhibition exploring 'the idea of childhood rites of passage'. I would like to go and visit this because even though it isn't directly linked to my project, I may pull up some useful information or generate an idea that will really add that extra lift to my event. The more information I can get on the subject of childhood, the better chance I have of being able to effectively put on events and give less advantaged children the support they need to live a full and happy life. The exhibition is running till the 29th June, at Staff House in Edgbaston, and is free to view.

Moving away from this topic, I came across an image by Nick Hedges in the exhibition (below), which shows a child left completely vulnerable and has innocence running out of every skin cell. Just by looking at the photograph, you feel sorry for this child and want to make life better for her. You want to know why she is alone. The title 'Child in Basement' adds to the impact of the image also. Knowing the child is in a basement makes you want to rescue them even more as it isn't a pleasant place to be! The fact that you are viewing in black and white generates a greater power as the colour has been taken away to truly show the loneliness and helplessness.

© Nick Hedges: Child in Basement, Liverpool 8, July 1971

At the side of the image, there was a paragraph explaining the reason for the photograph being taken. It only adds to the power and impact already present by commenting on the health of children forced to live in certain spaces. As well as an overwhelming urge to help the child, I felt anger that children are living like this. Which then adds to my drive to help!

Hedge's images surrounding this topic have been used by the charity Shelter to get their message across and to draw in donation contributors. You cannot look at this picture and then turn away without feeling anything at all, can you?

'Children's health was often badly affected by the cold, damp spaces in which they lived. Bronchitis, asthma and influenza were rife. Illness, and lack of sleep caused by overcrowding, meant the children missed school and their education suffered. SHELTER used Hedge's photographs to reveal the impact of poor housing on vulnerable children' - Paragraph next to image in exhibition.



Whilst looking through the section covering the war period, I came across the artist Norman Neason, who had presented us with a fabulous watercolour showing children playing amongst the rubble of a house that had been blown up by the bombing; 'Bombsite in Birmingham: 1942'. The children are content and having a great time using their imaginations. Everything these children once knew, suddenly gets taken from them, but they make the most of their situation and keep going.  Even though you see these children happy, you can't help but feel sympathy for them and think of the dangers surrounding them. What would the image/painting look like if created through the children's eyes? I have searched for the image, but haven't had any success in finding it unfortunately. I wish I had taken a photograph of it in the exhibition when I had the chance.


The act of play instantly improves a child's quality of live and their drive for life. Allowing them to feel freedom and express themselves through their imagination, crams them with positive energy. This then contributes to successful development in to adults. I believe that a happy childhood leads to a more successful and contented adult in more ways than simply career related. German educator Friedrich Froebel believed that play was vital to a child's education as it was stimulating and helped develop self-control and self dependence. 

A lot of disadvantaged children in India don't get the opportunity for freedom such as this because of their duties. They have to start working at an early age to support their families. Charitable organisations encourage families to let their children enter educational, controlled environments, which give them the chance to interact and experience play with others their age. Without the aid of the public, projects like this aren't achievable and a child's opportunity for good life becomes less and less likely. In England until the 1870s, children used to work instead of go to school Education wasn't common. Eventually, 'social reformers' had worries that their were too many physical and moral effects surrounding child workers. Even after the 1870s, the poorest of children worked half-time to earn some extra money. In India, young children working is something that needs to be helped, and many charitable organisations dedicate themselves to better the lives of the younger generations.

© Daniel Valla: Children Playing in Village: Nepal

Reading through the statements within the war section made me think a lot about how target audiences have shifted since the 2nd World War. In this period, men felt like protectors and wanted to do good by women and children. They put themselves forward to ensure their safety. I would have known exactly who to target my event at and who would contribute to ensuring the charitable organisation was able to help where necessary. In today's society, protecting women and children isn't the biggest concern for men as independence has equalled out a great deal.


Overall, I have learnt a lot from this exhibition and it has generated a few ideas that I will take on board and possibly adapted further on in my MA. A few charities have been mentioned also that I didn't think to look at, so I will be researching in to those. At the moment, I am wondering if I need to look in to what it means to be a child? Or if I should just concentrate on the events side of things more predominantly for now. That could be a different project entirely.