Installation: Genki-nobori by Susumu Shingu

The Genki-nobori are taking over the main courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine. Conceived by the Japanese artist Susumu Shingu following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and then created by children and young people supported by La Source Garouste, these wind-driven works celebrate creativity and resilience.

Carried by the breeze, these long, moving works – the Genki-nobori – were designed and created by around a hundred children and young people supported by La Source Garouste across the 10 sites in its national network.

Inspired by traditional Japanese fish-shaped kites, the Genki-nobori were created in Japan at the instigation of the artist Susumu Shingu following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Conceived as messages of hope entrusted to the wind, they embody a profoundly humanistic vision of art: a form of creation capable of connecting people, places and the imagination. Thanks to the support of the Jeanne Bucher Jaeger gallery, which represents the artist, La Source Garouste is developing this project as part of its 2026 cross-site initiative.

Between February and May 2026, around a hundred children facing social, educational or family difficulties will take part in creative workshops led by 10 artists across the network’s various centres. Together, they will design 100 Genki-nobori through a collective experience combining drawing, painting, writing and artistic experimentation.

Through this project, La Source Garouste is continuing its mission: to offer children and young people creative spaces where they can experiment, collaborate, build their confidence and reveal their potential whilst working alongside professional artists.

Susumu Shingu began his career as a painter in Japan and then in Rome in the 1960s, deeply inspired by Renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and his approach combining art, science and observation of the world. His discovery of movement came almost by chance, when one of his paintings, hanging from a tree, began to move in the wind. This formative experience gradually led him to develop a body of sculptural work centred on the invisible energies of nature — wind, water, light and even gravity.

Over the years, he has developed a unique artistic language, at the crossroads of art, engineering and the contemplation of nature. His kinetic sculptures, often monumental in scale, interact with their surroundings and evolve in response to the natural elements.

His work has been exhibited in numerous museums, institutions and public spaces around the world and has led to collaborations with leading figures in architecture, design and contemporary creation, such as Renzo Piano, Tadao Ando and Issey Miyake.

La Source Garouste is a social and educational charity founded in 1991 by Élizabeth and Gérard Garouste. Born out of the conviction that artistic creation can support social action, it works with children and young people facing social, economic or educational challenges through artistic workshops.

For over thirty years, La Source Garouste has been developing a unique project at the intersection of art and social work: creating spaces of freedom and creativity where participants can experiment, imagine, express themselves and regain their self-confidence.

Each workshop is led by a duo comprising an artist and an educational professional, which forms the cornerstone of the organisation’s approach. In this different setting – more flexible and less regimented than everyday life or school – the creative process also becomes a collective experience that fosters listening, respect, cooperation and social bonds.

The La Source Garouste network now comprises 10 local organisations based in 10 departments, as well as a national association responsible for bringing them together and coordinating their activities. The association holds the ‘La France s’engage’ accreditation and has agreements with the Ministries of Culture, National Education, and Youth and Sport.