The Genki-nobori, windsocks conceived by Japanese artist Susumu Shingu after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011, are taking over the courtyard of honor at the Hôtel de la Marine.
Overview The Genki-nobori are taking over the courtyard of honor at the Hôtel de la Marine. Conceived by Japanese artist Susumu Shingu after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011, then made by children and young people supported by La Source Garouste, these wind-borne works celebrate creativity and resilience. Carried by air currents, these long, moving works - the Genki-nobori - were imagined and created by around one hundred children and young people supported by La Source Garouste across the 10 sites of its national network. Inspired by traditional Japanese fish-shaped windsocks, the Genki-nobori were born in Japan at the initiative of artist Susumu Shingu after the Töhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Designed as messages of hope entrusted to the wind, they convey a deeply humanist vision of art: a form of creation capable of connecting people, places, and imaginations. 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 intersite project. Between February and May 2026, around one hundred children experiencing social, educational, or family vulnerability will take part in creative workshops led by 10 artists across the network's various structures. Together, they will design 100 Genki-nobori through a collective experience combining drawing, painting, writing, and visual experimentation. Through this project, La Source Garouste continues its mission: to offer children and young people creative spaces where they can experiment, cooperate, build confidence, and reveal their abilities through contact with professional artists. Susumu Shingu Susumu Shingu began as a painter in Japan and then in Rome in the 1960s, deeply inspired by Renaissance artists such as Léonard de 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 sculptural body of work centered on the invisible energies of nature — wind, water, light, and gravity. Over the years, he has built a distinctive artistic language at the crossroads of art, engineering, and contemplation of nature. His moving sculptures, often monumental, engage in dialogue with their surroundings and change with the natural elements. His work has been presented in many museums, institutions, and public spaces around the world, and has led to collaborations with major figures in architecture, design, and contemporary creation such as Renzo Piano, Tadao Ando, and Issey Miyake. La Source Garouste La Source Garouste is a social and educational nonprofit founded in 1991 by Élizabeth and Gérard Garouste. Born from the belief that artistic creation can support social action, it works with children and young people experiencing social, economic, or educational vulnerability through hands-on art workshops. For more than thirty years, La Source Garouste has developed an original project at the intersection of art and social action: creating spaces of freedom and creativity where participants can experiment, imagine, express themselves, and regain self-confidence. Each workshop is based on a pairing of an artist and an educational professional, a cornerstone of the association's approach. In this different setting, more flexible and less standardized than everyday life or school, creation also becomes a collective experience that fosters listening, respect, cooperation, and social connection. The La Source Garouste network is now made up of 10 local structures established in 10 departments, as well as a national association responsible for bringing them together and coordinating their actions. The association holds the “La France s’engage” label and has agreements with the ministries of Culture, National Education, Youth, and Sports.
Admission: Free entry, no reservation required
Source: paris.fr — photo: La Source Garouste