SERVICES
WE LIVE IN A
BROKEN SOCIETY:
- There are fractures within the individuals from what they have lived,: traumatic or painful events, low levels of self-esteem, high levels of stress, guilt or fear, among others.
- Fractures in the way persons relate to each other: mistrust, prejudice, and failures in communication can lead to unhealthy and destructive relationships.
- Fractures in the way werelate to our institutions, organizations and communities: competition, particular interests and distrust can make us think that our society is a broken piece that cannot be repaired.
To not trust the other and live with fear has become usual. We think that living in this fragmentation is natural.
Amalgama’s value proposal offers another innovative approach: instead of trying to hide the cracks, or underline the sorrow and losses, we conceive that these fractures have a perspective of beauty and individual and collective learning. Our mission is inspired by the metaphor of the Japanese Kintsugi technique (Japanese gold patch) that invites us not to discard broken objects but to restore and enhance their damaged areas by filling the cracks in an aesthetic way. “The Japanese believe that when something has been damaged and has a history, it becomes more beautiful” (Cohen, 2016). The object has become a proof of imperfection and fragility, but also of resilience and strength.
We believe that, as an amalgam, we can join our broken pieces in a beautiful way. The fractures within the individual, throughout relationships and in the community, can be transformed and overcome through this perspective. And we can do it in a concrete way. Through the Kintsugi technique we discovered how a process can be transformed into a tangible object, how processes that entail invisible transformations can become visible.
OTHER TOOLS
In the Prolongar® Foundation we design and implement methodologies that fit the cultural context and needs of our customers. There are art-based tools, besides the Kintsugi practice, that can lead to behavioral change and may be more relevant for certain contexts or objectives.
Therefore, we can design proposals that involve other tools, according to the changes we wim to:
The forum-theatre methodology is a strategic tool to generate participatory processes, strengthen citizenship and foster collective problem-solving skills.
Visual art-based tools, in general, work very well for less verbal individuals. They are also very effective in working on personal issues that are difficult to speak about.
Embodiment and movement are cross-cutting tools in our work by leading to integral changes in human beings.