On Saturday, June 13th and Sunday, June 14th, students Kyushu Sangyo University, Zokei Junior College of Art and Design created a mural at Fukuoka Music Academy Affiliated Kindergarten (Minami-ku, Fukuoka City) as part of their "Off-Campus Art Project."
In this project, in accordance with the kindergarten's request, we created a piece themed around "a kindergarten where children can enjoy music." Near the entrance of the kindergarten, we adopted a "participatory design" to brightly welcome the children. On the day of the project, children from the kindergarten and elementary school students from the neighborhood participated, working together with the students to print handprints and color, creating a lively and fun artwork. Meanwhile, on the exterior wall facing the road, we decided to depict a traditional motif that the kindergarten has cherished and used for many years as a design element for its bags. To create a calm atmosphere that blends in with the surrounding environment, and to ensure that the kindergarten's symbol is most beautifully displayed, the students carefully considered the ease of drawing and placement based on the original artwork, and completed the piece with meticulous care. The students divided the work amongst themselves as they progressed through the project, and interaction with the kindergarten children also occurred, making it a practical activity that connected them with the community.
Ryo Tominaga (Seika Gakuen High School), a second-year student Department of Art and Design the experience, saying, "It was a very meaningful opportunity to learn about the process of completing a work while taking into account the client's requests and to adjust the expression while considering the intention of the design. I was also impressed by being able to create the work together with the children, and I learned the importance of collaboration."
[Kyushu Sangyo University, Zokei Junior College of Art and Design / Industry-Academia Co-innovation and Research Promotion Headquarters]
