The drawings belong to the thinking process of two units that I taught in grades seven to ten for two years as part of the art-making of collaborative murals.After the introduction to the theme of intersectional discrimination and connections to climate change, we had discussions and drawing workshops.


Bodies of characters such as animals, plants, and humans re-created inner views showed patterns of responses in addition to the discussions held in class.


For example, many characters expressed that they feel confused about their own identity and used objects and animals to represent themselves.


A student of color with African background represented himself through two historic characters to compare the different histories and how this influenced his Norwegian-African identity.


Another student of color, who was in the process of changing her gender, took inspiration in the transformation of an androgen character.


One of my students represented herself camouflaged as a shark with a Santa Claus hat trying to jump into the ocean. She wrote “I do not belong to this ocean”. The ocean image triggered by artists’ examples seen in class gave her the idea to express how she feels as a refugee immigrant in Norway.


Some post activity comments are transcripted below:


  • Student grade tenth after a walk at the local beach to collect materials: “I think that shells come in all colors like us”

  • Student to teacher: “Can’t we just make art, like stuff with our hands? You are making us think too much.”

  • Mother of a student to teacher: “Thanks for discussing intersectionality and letting my daughter express herself.”

  • Teacher: “I heard students talking about intersectionality during recess”.