The purpose of 'Noah's Ark' has been to engage a group of children, teenagers and adults (both with and without Down's syndrome) in the symbolic act of building a walkable "ship" of eighteen metres in length, complete with animals and all equipment.

The project's vitality and artistic quality results from the extraordinary expressive creativity which we find in those who come to this world with a special secret.

THE VISION OF 'NOAH'S ARK'

Created by a group of humans who experience daily discrimination by the major part of society, the ark stands as an image of survival.

We hope that a great number of people with Down's syndrome as well as their families and friends from as any parts of the world as possible will participate in this project. Our plan is that the ark will be travelling from one country to another with material being added at every 'quay' on its way. Our hope is that the work of art will both increase the feeling of solidarity among those concerned and attract the international general public's interest in the issue of Down's syndrome.

THE JOURNEY Our journey started in Oktober 1997 in Bonn, 9 months of traveling will follow in Germany. In summer 1998 we started to arrange our international stops: you are invited to participate in our project, please contact us. We have already established contact with Down's syndrome groups in Germany and abroad and are, for instance, delighted that an Indian group from Madras has contacted us and will participate in our project. A schoolclass from Crete (Greece) has created a mountain goat (length 1.20m, 7 kilogrammes) for our exhibition and is just organizing the transport to Germany.

THE LOG BOOK The project started in October 1995. The activities are documented in a detailed 'log book'. Here are some excerpts:

9 Dec 1995: "... Nico (10 years old, DS) created a 'dangerous vulture with evil eyes' and a giant 'vulture tree'. The tree is covered allover with threads and cloths. As his mother explains, bird, 'evil eyes' and bird's nests are very important to him..."

12 Jan 1996: "...in another corner Christoph (11 years old, DS) was sitting and was obviously enjoying building towers from all kinds of material. First of all he investigated the differing textures of material by touching them. He then proceeded to make some 'Yves-Klein-blue-porridge' in a big pot. Afterwards he wound cabel and pearls of clay together and painted all pieces with the blue porridge..."

10 July 1997: "..Nicole (31 years old, DS) paints a lion on a piece of rice-paper. It has the power to protect her, she explains. Thereafter she wraps the painting with leather, gras, cloth and string and hides it for a night under her pillow: to catch a beautiful dream. At the next day this wrapped object becomes the "heart" of a lion made of plaster of paris, marbles are set in for the eyes. The lion is named Clarence. Lois (a friend, 42 years, DS) explains us, that she has chosen this name, because both Nicole and Clarence "duplicate the world with their eyes"..."

PROJECT ORGANIZERS 'NOAH'S ARK'

Dr. Katja de Bragança , Gabriele Lutterbeck & Peter F Kurenbach

Peter F Kurenbach and Gabriele Lutterbeck are free-lance artists.