A few words about the workshop

This year, our Museum Quest (A-musée vous) program is in full swing with fun, immersive and interactive activities that provide kids with a quality artistic and cultural insight while developing notions of sharing and togetherness! 

This online workshop is free for children who will attend  the visit to the “Murakami: Monsterized” exhibit on Sunday, January 28, 2024, and is open to others for $24 to help finance our association’s projects.

Activity Content

Would you like your child to discover or renew their interest in art? You’re in the right place! 

Let’s head to Japan for an interactive and cooperative game to discover the most famous Japanese contemporary artist in the world, Takashi Murakami. In particular, we will explore the fantasy creatures, monsters and ghosts that play a central role in Murakami’s works and in Japanese culture as a whole. We will take the opportunity to connect these with Pokemon, those little Japanese monsters that have been all the rage on school grounds for over 25 years, but also with fantasy creatures featured in French folklore. In addition to the interactive game, as a group, we will analyze Murakami’s work and we will create our own creature. 

Monsters, be they nice, mischievous or truly malevolent, permeate Murakami’s art because they constitute the simplest and most natural way for him to spontaneously convey his emotions. They are symbols of what cannot be explained, morality, and the deepest yearnings, fears and desires that reside within each of us, like the mythical creatures of Greek legends.

Teaching objectives

This activity not only delivers a relaxed, friendly and fun experience for participants but also provides several different learning opportunities: 

• Appreciating contemporary art, particularly Takashi Murakami’s work, by exploring his style, technique and artistic influences.
• Understanding Japanese culture through Murakami’s work, by highlighting Japanese culture elements that influence his art. We will also look at the artist’s work in relation to its historical, social and artistic context, explaining how he reacts to world events and cultural changes.
• Developing analytical skills by encouraging participants to describe the pieces shown in the exhibit and to think about the messages and themes the artist uses.
• Developing aesthetic awareness by exploring artistic beauty, creativity and diversity and by helping participants see and appreciate different forms of artistic expression.

When: Saturday, January 27th, 2024, 10:00 to 11:30 am PST

Where: Via Zoom. The link will be sent to participants within 2 days before the event.

Led by: Julia Peillon, our Cultural Programs Director.

Who: Children ages 7-12 with prior knowledge of French (2 years minimum). Assessment required for students not enrolled in a 2023-2024 EFBA program.

To join us, participants should be able to:

• Express themselves clearly and comfortably in French.
• Easily understand the main ideas in a conversation on a range of topics.

Questions about your child’s level? Email admissions@efba.us before registration.

During the online activity, participants will need:

• • A computer (or tablet) with both webcam (video) and microphone (audio) capabilities. The Zoom link will be sent to you one or two days before the activity.

• A good Internet connection.

• That’s it!

Registration: 

• Regular fee: $24 
• Children registered for the visit to the “Murakami: Monsterized” exhibit : free (registration is automatic, you do not need to do anything)