Abstract:

This paper presents a case study conducted within the framework of the European-funded research project CARE, which seeks to empower teachers and students to interconnect Visual Arts Education (VAE) with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by transforming artistic practice into an experiential frame that fosters sustainability, social solidarity, and humanistic values.

The intervention centred on primary school students’ deep engagement with Alexandra Athanassiades’s symbolically charged sculpture Manuscripts (2013). The artwork’s fragmented torso – historically the primary form of armour across cultures – served as a powerful metaphor for personal and collective protection, inner vulnerability, heroism, wellbeing, and socio-cultural justice. Through guided aesthetic contemplation and critical dialogue, students explored themes of self-discovery, emotional journeys, hidden memories, mutual respect, and the need to safeguard both individual and communal dignity.

Building on this reflection, pupils created their own symbolic torsos using sustainable artistic techniques and exclusively recycled materials, thereby bridging creative self-expression with ecological awareness. The hands-on process prompted students to articulate their personal feelings, experiences, and values, while recognising the value of everyday objects and embracing principles of circularity and environmental responsibility. Simultaneously, crafting and sharing protective “armours” cultivated empathy, respect for diversity, and appreciation for each person’s unique yet concealed inner world.

Findings reveal that art-centred interventions grounded in symbolically dense cultural artefacts can transform classrooms into inclusive learning communities where cognitive, emotional, and ethical development converge. By positioning the torso simultaneously as shield and soul, the activity reinforced social solidarity as a lifelong practice that extends beyond school walls. The study underscores artistic creativity as a pivotal bridge between VAE and ESD, capable of nurturing culturally responsive, sustainability-minded citizens equipped with both ecological conscience and profound humanistic sensitivity.

Keywords:

Visual Arts Education (VAE), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), artistic creativity, inclusive education, social solidarity, ecological awareness, community building.