OSTANA

Ostana is a small rural village with 60 inhabitants, located in a National Park where animals outnumber people. While this is charming, especially for nature lovers, it can be challenging for local teens who dream of becoming global stars like Blackpink. While I love Blackpink, Ostana is far from Seoul—2 hours by car from Turin, and 20 hours by plane from Seoul.

The Main Challenges
Young people in Ostana feel disconnected from major cultural centers and services, making them feel isolated and less important. This breeds a sense of low self-esteem, as they perceive their rural life as less “cool” compared to city living.

Objective:

• Improve self-esteem
• Revalue their local area
• Reduce the sense of isolation from cultural production centers
• Make them feel heard and valued

Creative Solution
To address this, we can create a visual world that represents Ostana and its youth, countering the image of the mountain as only for the elderly. This allows them to connect with the area in a fun and meaningful way, making it more relatable and appealing.

Redefining the Process
Throw away traditional teaching models.

• I don’t teach, and they don’t learn from me. We’re both here to learn from each other.
• Adopt a listening attitude: I must understand them to build the project together.
• I position them at the center of the experience, as players in a game. This shifts the power dynamic and makes the project theirs.

Discover Local Talents
Each young person has unique qualities that can be used in the project. For example, the children are very knowledgeable about local flora, having lived in the area their whole lives. This gives them a mental library of natural images that city children may lack.

Mind the Gap
Understand how to bridge the gap. Help them reach the goal of creating a modern, pop visual identity for Ostana. While they know the local flora, they may not know how to draw it, so my role is to guide them in expressing their vision.

Local Exploration
The first step is taking them around the area to connect with their surroundings, making the experience enjoyable and linked to dopamine, which will help override any negative past feelings. We’ll explore locations known for local flora and fauna.

Empower Them to Be Active Creators
They might think they can’t draw, so I encourage them to draw in their own style, offering guidance when needed. They choose the flowers to draw and the perspective. The goal is to give them freedom in their choices while providing constructive feedback when necessary.

Value Their Art
After the activity, we value their artwork—never throwing it away. The work is transformed into a product. The final result is a modern, pop pattern created from both my and the children’s drawings, now featured on local merchandise. The designs are sold online as official Ostana souvenirs. Buying them means buying a piece of the local children’s perspective—a true, unique souvenir.