Flags inspired by mandalas in Milton Keynes
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Overview
MK Mandalas was a collaborative project between Kinetika and IF: Milton Keynes International Festival. Local artists and communities in Milton Keynes worked together to design and create 30 stunning mandala silk flags.
Using the The Milton Keynes Rose as inspiration, Kinetika and local artists held sessions on how to design a mandala, drawing and sketching, composition, and construction.
Community groups then created 30 designs that were turned into the final batik silks. The flags are being displayed as part of IF: MK International Festival this summer.
Thank you to the artists and participant groups who took part:
Artists
- Lisa Meehan
- Jane Charles
- Ciara Callaghan
Participating Groups: Broughton & Brooklands Community Connectors, Camphill Communities, The Frank Moran Centre, Friends & Families MK, Grand Mentors from Volunteering Matters, The Milton Keynes Hindu Association, MK ACT, MK Collective: Artists & Makers, Sew & Grow and Childcare Pathways, and YMCA Milton Keynes.
See all the final flags in this gallery
Resource Pack Download
This resource pack was designed for the project to inspire everyone to get creative and take part. It describes the step-by-step process to create flag designs for IF: Milton Keynes International Festival.
nb. Download is 16MB
Milton Keynes Rose designed by Gordon Young
INSPIRATION: WHY MANDALAS?
Designs were inspired by The Milton Keynes Rose.
A set of themes were identified that resonated with the time and gave a starting point for design discussions and creative exercises.
COMING TOGETHER
GETTING OUTDOORS
NATURE
SAYING THANK YOU
MOVING FORWARD
We worked with local groups to design a set of 30 beautiful silk flags that reflected their experiences of the previous year.
Alongside the activities outlined in the resource pack, there was a series of weekly workshops led by Kinetika artist Lisa Meehan, and face-to-face sessions in Milton Keynes with artists Jane Charles and Ciara Callaghan.
Completed designs were sent to the Kinetika Design Studio where the team of artists used the process of batik and silk painting to transform them into beautiful silk artworks
Previous example: Kinetika worked with over 250 participants from five choirs to incorporate their drawings into this mandala design for a silk backdrop for Singing Our Lives. Union Chapel, January 2020.
Presentation of Flags
All 30 flags were presented in public open spaces at Milton Keynes International Festival 2021. All the people involved were invited to view the finished flags.
The flags are now a valued community asset that can be used to decorate future events.
Digital Capture
Every flag was photographed and uploaded to an online gallery – see it via the button below.
RESOURCE LINKS
This section contains links to teaching resources for MK Mandalas participants.
If you are taking part and would like to access these resources, please ask your group leader for the passcode.
Funders and delivery partners