Public Art for the Tiny Ones

We continue to expand our commitment to rethinking where and for whom contemporary art can exist, and how it can engage with as well as be shaped by the spaces and audiences it encounters.

We commissioned Traplev for the first iteration, in collaboration with Ateliê Cata-Ventos daycare center, who developed Bolide Play, a ‘pedagogical pillow’ based on his long-term research “Almofadas Pedagogicas de Traplev“. The pillows were originally designed for the 4-7 year age group to contribute to their motor development. The set consists of 15 pieces in 3 colors: white, gray, and orange, and each child is invited to configure and compose them freely where the elements could be arranged as a puzzle, a domino, or other forms of shared play.

Our research was nurtured by a direct observation of children, of nursery spaces, and evaluating the general offer of art for young children.

Drawing inspiration from pedagogical guiding schools of thought, we picked up on the Montessori method’s emphasis on child-led learning in prepared environments and the Pikler’s free movement approach, where respectful caregiving is paramount in early childhood development.

This first edition of the project was supported by the Proap grant from UERJ, curated by Amanda Abi Khalil for the Ateliê Cata-Ventos daycare center in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro in close dialogue with the school.