Dandelion School BeijinG
Rainbow Tree of life mosaic project
Preserving legacy and shaping future
These murals were destroyed with the demolition of the old Dandelion campus in 2018.
Building community through making art together
When a mural becomes a canvas for thousands of hands, it finds its roots deep in the community, inspiring, empowering while emotionally connecting all participants.
The project took 59 days from September 2 to October 27 and intense effort from 593 teachers, students, maintenance crew, 2 master masons, and 320 volunteers from different sectors of the society to accomplish. At the end, we were all stunned and empowered by what we have managed to accomplish through determination and working together.
“This is my first-time making mosaic art. It was totally revealing. I could not have imagined that such beauty could emerge from piles of shattered tiles! The opportunity to participate in this artistic journey brought me profound happiness.”
Process Transforms
“At the beginning, with this massive project on hand, we all had doubts whether we, the unskilled participants, could deliver. Navigating through thousands of splintered tiles, I realized that the project is not just about tiles and art, it is more about finding the magic in bringing together the broken pieces. The workshop is a living example of what happens when everyone pitches in – turning huge amount of fragments into a majestic mural of beauty and unity. Although unskilled, with dedication, we delivered this awesome mosaic wall, one tile piece at a time. Through the process, a sense of deep calm and fulfillment filled our being.”
The bare cement wall as the first rainbow tiles are installed.
(Left) Celebrating the completion of the mural, (right) The ecstatic joy expressed by three extraordinary art teachers, (left to right) Ying Yan, Geng Xiaopi, and Pei Guangri for they have carried the heavy responsibility in teaching and supervising the deliverance of the successful installation of this ambitious 95’ long and 21’ high mosaic project.
The completed mural, 100 feet wide by 20 feet high, during the dedication ceremony.
“Participating in this mosaic making process feels like breaking down an old world and building a new one. ”
“Wanting to experience the transformative power of art, I flew with my teenage daughter from Cheng Du to Beijing to volunteer in this visionary mosaic project. We returned with our hearts filled with joy, fulfillment, and love. Thank you Dandelion.”