Bad Air

Omar Cristiam Santos

On the third day of the “Art and Written Culture” workshop at RIDEF Oaxaca 2024, we immersed ourselves in a universe of colors and emotions. We began with the evocative story of "Bad Air," a tale from the oral tradition of Santiago Tilantongo, collected and adapted by Omar Cristiam Santos. This story guided us as we transformed our previous illustrations into vibrant visual landscapes. Amid laughter, jokes, and the soft accompaniment of music, the brushes danced on the paper with a unique elegance.





Some strokes were firm and decisive, others fluid and subtle, each reflecting the unique personality of its creator. With each mix of red, blue, and yellow, and with the emergence of greens, browns, and purples, our canvases came to life, creating a visual atmosphere that previously only existed in our minds. Each work became a window to our essence, an act of magic that transformed blank and gray spaces into vibrant reflections of the heart.



Célestin Freinet reminded us that “Art is a way to discover the truth that words cannot reach.” Through this process, we got to know ourselves more deeply, merging art, writing, and conversation in a sincere dialogue. We are in the final stretch, about to take our stories to the kamishibai. As Freinet said, “The school should be the workshop of creative freedom,” and in this workshop, that freedom manifested in every stroke and color. We are ready to share the magic within us and see how our creations find their voice on the kamishibai stage. “Every child is an artist, and the school should help that creativity to flourish,” Freinet said, and today, that creativity has blossomed in all its splendor.