A new classmate at the Ikastola of Larceveau

June 08, 2023

Over the past few weeks, the pupils of Oztibarreko ikastola, in Larceveau, have welcomed a new classmate.

She features in a painting by Virginia Santos Itoiz, an artist who lives and works in Pamplona.

The painting shows a young girl, but not just any girl, as the artist hastens to explain. To make this image, she borrowed elements from different photos she found on the Internet. The result is what she describes as "Frankenstein" portrait representing the concept of childhood.

The presence of this painting at the ikastola in Larceveau is part of Itzal aktiboa's "A painting in the classroom" project, designed to enable children to discover an original work of art and to develop their own form of artistic expression.

In this case, it is not only a visual exercise but also a psychological one. The girl in the painting looks at us straight on, as if confronting us. The bright red color of her dress suggests strength, tension, and even violence.

For her face, Virginia chose the features of a girl whose photo she found on the Internet, but gave her a more severe expression. She also gave her a new hairstyle to make her appearance more androgynous.

In this way, Virginia tells us, the portrait represents childhood not as it is typically seen as a state of vulnerability, but rather as a condition of strength. "What's more, she's a girl, which is also important."

What Virginia likes most in this portrait are the girl's hands, taken from yet another photo. They are so strong, she says, that they almost look like the hands of a boxer. "At any moment, they can give you a hefty punch!"