The Spell of Monsters by Camilla Alberti is an artistic-pedagogical project that makes environmental education the vibrant core for new fairy tales. The project analyzes the legendary creatures of Dokkaebi, and by using traditional myths and legends, makes it possible to create an emotional and spiritual connection with environmental issues.
The workshop - dedicated to children aged 6,13 - created a path of education to observation, where children learned to observe their surroundings and identify the potential in objects that seem useless and discarded. Like in a spell, the children transformed discarded material into the foundational elements of monster creation. Verbalizing and formalizing fear into a precise shape borrowed from imagination is a fundamental educational process to strengthen the relationship between the Self and the Other.
The pedagogical journey begins with children observing Camilla Alberti’s sculptures, revealing the coexistence of natural and man-made objects, and introducing the concept of the Dokkaebi.
The second phase in the artist’s Atelier introduces recycled materials to create magical monsters, divided into inner bodies, world connectors, and magic powder (natural pigments). In the third phase, children invent a monster without traditional references, imagining its traits and superpowers as an ally to tackle environmental challenges like climate change. Then, children gradually engage with materials, blending natural and man-made objects to create hybrid monsters. This tactile process fosters self-awareness, storytelling, and new mythologies.
In the final phase, a child-height exhibition showcases the artist's and children's works, fostering trust in the museum while building personal and collective pride in their creations.
ARTIST: Camilla Alberti