This year's Art in Preschool – a truly tasty experience

On 22 November, it's time again for the opening of one of Sweden's largest exhibitions by and for children. This year’s edition is called "Barn, buller och kastruller" (Children, Noise and Pots), and is all about food and food cultures from around the world. The Afghan-Canadian artist Hangama Amiri has developed a workshop concept where children get to work with textile art and, through this, reflect on what food means to them.

Art in Preschool is a collaboration between the Farsta district administration and Konsthall C, an independent art gallery in Hökarängen, Stockholm. Over 14 years, the two parties have jointly developed a pedagogical method involving large parts of the local preschools. The earliest participants are now 19 years old! Up to 100 preschool educators and over 500 children take part in the project each year, which culminates in the art gallery’s large exhibition space. In addition to the art gallery’s team and the preschool educators, every year an artist is invited to set the framework for the project. Over the years, both Swedish and international artists have made their mark on the work. Among them are the design group MYCKET and the British children’s artist Monster Chetwynd.

"In Farsta, children should be offered cultural experiences from an early age, and it’s especially positive that the children here become creators themselves. Art in Preschool is a truly successful collaboration we have with Konsthall C, and I look forward to visiting this exhibition created by the preschool children in the district myself," says Marre Mayr, Chair of the Farsta District Council.

This year, Konsthall C has invited Afghan-Canadian artist Hangama Amiri. Hangama has long worked with the concept of food and how the groceries we purchase reflect international relations and transactions. She illustrates this through grand collages, carefully assembled from colourful textiles. It's a time-consuming and challenging technique that has attracted significant attention, especially in North America where she is based. Now, together with Konsthall C’s art educators Malin Dahlberg and Birgitta Adolfsson, she has transformed this technique into a workshop for 5-year-olds. Hangama explains:

"I have worked with fabric for a long time, and it has always given me a sense of care, comfort, and softness. When children use fabric to make art, they often have a similar reaction; the material itself is very soothing, calming, and playful to work with. For the 'Pots and Plates' project, the toddlers truly experience the softness and hardness of food textures as they create their work, and even as they contemplate taste, smell, and texture. Working with fabric has provided them with a unique experience for creating collages."

Photo © Hangama Amiri
Photo © Hangama Amiri
Workshop at Guldgruvan. Photo: Louise Helmfrid
Workshop at Guldgruvan. Photo: Louise Helmfrid

The result from approximately 50 workshops will be on display in the exhibition "Barn, buller och kastruller", with its opening on 22 November at Konsthall C in Hökarängen. At that time, all family members, fans and the curious will come to see what the 500 five-year-olds have created together. Afterwards, an intensive period awaits, when all preschool groups will have their own VIP opening. That means up to 4 openings a day for more than two weeks, and up to 1,000 children celebrating art.

These openings are exclusive for the young artists themselves, but at weekends the public will have the opportunity to visit the exhibition. There will also be a chance to try out some of the techniques used during the project.

Title: Barn, buller och kastruller
Date: 22/11–7/12
Opening: 22/11 at 12:00
Opening hours: Saturday–Sunday 12:00–17:00
Free entry!
Participating artist: Hangama Amiri
Venue: Konsthall C, Cigarrvägen 14, T-Hökarängen

More information:

https://www.konsthallc.se/program/barn-buller-och-kastruller
https://www.konsthallc.se/info/konst-i-forskolan
https://www.hangamaamiri.com/en