SWAB KIDS
Swab Barcelona presents the Swab Kids space, designed for children with the aim of integrating art into their education and personal development. We believe it is essential for art to be a part of children’s daily lives, so each year we inaugurate this space with the goal of helping both parents and children recognize and appreciate the role of art in their lives.
In this edition, our goal is to promote a cultural exchange that allows children to explore different cultures. As part of the Focus Tokyo-Seoul programme, the Swab Kids space will be dedicated to Japanese culture in collaboration with Petit Japó.
This space will offer a free group activity designed to help children experience the value of collectivity and develop environmental awareness, fostering respect for nature and the environment. The proposal, titled Mural Kid’s Art, is organised by Petit Japó in collaboration with the artist Mitsuru Nagata. Over the four days of the fair, children will participate in creating a sakura tree, a symbol deeply connected to Japanese culture. On the first day, Mitsuru will draw the trunk and branches of the tree, initiating the activity. In the following days, Yuko from Petit Japó, together with the children, will create sakura flowers using washi paper (calligraphy paper) and applying traditional techniques such as folding (折), cutting (切), and dyeing (染). These flowers will be added to the tree, transforming the mural into a collective and evolving artwork.
The sakura, known for its seasonal cycle, blooms in spring, fills with green leaves in summer, changes to yellow and red tones in autumn, and sheds its leaves in winter. The Kid’s Art mural will begin by representing winter and, as the children contribute, will gradually evolve into spring.
In addition, the space will feature three sumi-e drawings created by Mitsuru, which children can colour in with POSCA markers and take home as a souvenir of the experience.
Additionally, Swab Kids will offer three paid workshops where participants can learn origami techniques and paint traditional kitsune masks. These workshops will be held at various times throughout the fair:
Each child, using their imagination and creativity, will have the opportunity to paint their own mask, which they can then take home and use as a decoration.
In this origami workshop, children will learn how to create spinning tops using three origami sheets, which they can then play with afterwards.
In this workshop, participants will learn how to make paper balloons, which they can decorate as lanterns and display in any space in their homes.
With these activities, Swab Kids reinforces its commitment to integrating art and culture into children’s education, offering a playful and creative space where art becomes a vehicle for learning and cultural reflection.
*Petit Japó, founded by Yuko Nakajima, is a workshop space located in the Gracia district of Barcelona. Its main objective is to raise awareness of Japanese traditions in various forms, including art, culture, gastronomy, and more, while promoting new philosophies of life. Petit Japó organises workshops and courses based on ancestral techniques such as Kintsugi and meditation through Japanese calligraphy, as well as activities related to cooking and handicrafts.
*Mitsuru Nagata is a sumi-e and shodō artist based in Barcelona. Born in Kyoto in 1979, he began studying shodō (Japanese calligraphy) at the age of six. He holds a degree in sociology from Kyoto Buddhist University and is a master of Japanese calligraphy. Throughout his career, he has refined his technique, developing a personal and contemporary style that blends sumi-e painting with shodō calligraphy.
IN COLLABORATION WITH:
