Japanese fruit tart masters Qu’il Fait Bon is promoting the upcoming London National Gallery Exhibition, which is set to arrive at Tokyo’s National Museum of Western Art on March 3, 2020, with the release of two new art-inspired tarts, which will be available at Qu’il Fait Bon from the same day.

The National Gallery in London is a world famous art museum that houses countless artworks from across the generations. The museum is well-known for its collection of high quality European paintings, and the first time ever, it’s taking 61 these works for large scale exhibitions in Tokyo and Osaka this year.

 

Orange & Mango Tart – “Sunflowers”

One Piece – ¥736

Whole Tart (25cm) – ¥7,365

This first tart is inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers series. The beautifully layered floral dessert contains matcha and honey flavoured almond cream, mango pudding, fresh orange and mango pieces, and meringue. The honey used is Bulgarian sunflower honey. Together with the beautiful, swirling meringue and the cross-section of the sliced cake, the tart strongly depicts Gogh’s gorgeous Sunflowers work.

 

Available:

Qu’il Fait Bon (Grand Maison Ginza) / Serving: March 3, 2020 – Mid April 2020

Qu’il Fait Bon (Grand Front Osaka) / August 11, 2020 – Mid September 2020

 

Green Fruit & Peach Mousse Tart – “The Water Lily Pond”

One Piece – ¥732

Whole Tart (25cm) – ¥7,322

The second tart is themed on Claude Monet’s The Water Lily Pond. A lily bed of fresh fruits sip atop a peach mousse, which has a gentle fragrance.

 

Available:

Qu’il Fait Bon (Grand Maison Ginza) / Serving: April 8, 2020 – Mid May 2020

Qu’il Fait Bon (Grand Front Osaka) / July 7, 2020 – Mid August 2020

 

Make a day of art by heading to the London National Gallery Exhibition and finishing it off with a delicious artistic tart at Qu’il Fait Bon.

The Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum has announced a new exhibition entitled “Taro Okamoto’s Prints” which will run at the Tokyo-based museum from February 26 to June 28 this year.

Taro Okamoto employed many channels to try and bring art into the lives of the people. His range of expression was diverse, made up of countless genres, including the Tower of the Sun.

One form of media that Taro poured his talents and energy into was prints, ranging from lithography to etching, silkscreen, woodblock, and so on.

 

For Taro, art was synonymous with life and living, which he expressed over his lifetime, and which will be shown in the first ever print exhibition of his work.

ART LAB KYOTO is the new museum shop set to open at Kyocera Museum of Art on March 21, 2020 in line with the revamp currently undergoing at the museum, with design work being co-created by Japanese architects Jun Aoki and Tezzo Nishizawa.

Kyoto is known as a hub of Japanese culture, managing to maintain traditions while constantly evolving. ART LAB KYOTO will embody everything about this idea when it opens after the museum’s revamp. The spacious shop will not only sell merchandise related to the exhibitions, but books and goods related to art from Kyoto both traditional and contemporary, items in collaboration with external artists, original and exclusive sweets, and more. ART LAB KYOTO will also host events promoting the diversity of art and culture in Kyoto.

Tokyo’s interactive art museum teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM, located in Toyosu, consists of several exhibition spaces where visitors become part of the art by moving through them. After opening in July 2018, 1.25 million visitors from 106 countries and regions visited within one year. The museum is famously known for its large mirror-walled room of water with an interactive projection mapping display where visitors move barefoot through the water to influence the beautiful display on the water’s surface.

 

With the coming of spring, teamLab Planets is giving two of their attractions a sakura makeover. The new attractions will run from March 1 to April 30, 2020.

The Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers exhibition, where visitors are showered in beautiful flowers which grow and change overtime, will be replacing the flowers with cherry blossoms for spring. 

The famous attraction Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People – Infinity, where visitors move through water barefoot, will also be transforming for spring. The koi fish projection mapping will be replaced by an infinite number of cherry blossoms, which will gently fall apart as you move through the water and reform elsewhere. 

 

As spring arrives in Japan and the cycle of life is born again, teamLab’s world of digital art is the perfect place to explore changing seasons and the beautiful cycle of nature. 

A huge exhibition of Chocomoo’s artwork is set to adorn WITH HARAJUKU HALL from August 20 to September 28 this year for “Chocomoo EXHIBITION -OUR SECRET PARTY- Supported by WITH HARAJUKU.”

Chocomoo is a Japanese artist born and bred in Kyoto. Her work is known for its originality and pop style which she draws in black and white. Her work has been used for clothing and apparel brands, for music artists, and for many other special collaborations with other companies. She is active internationally and draws huge popularity with Japanese women between the ages of 10-20. We have translated an interview with her which was just released.

 

Chocomoo Interview

 

“I’ve loved drawing ever since I was a kid. I’d draw in notebooks, sketchbooks. When I went to New York for the first time, too, I kept a sketch diary and would draw in the park. I was later asked by a guy who managed a gallery if I’d put my work on at his site.”

 

It was there at that gallery exhibiting several of her works that the first buyer came by.

“I sold my first piece of art. A piece of art drawn by an ‘ordinary person,’ not someone who was an active artist. It was about 30 dollars, if I recall, but I was super happy.”

 

New York helped pave the way for Chocomoo to begin her first steps towards becoming an illustrator.

 

She would post her art on her blog and social media, which was seen by singers and songwriters who got in touch with her. She penned artwork for their tour merchandise, album covers, and more. Recently, she collaborated with Italian car brand FIAT. They released 100 limited edition cars with her art on it. Japanese convenience store FamilyMart even sold umbrellas with Chocomoo’s illustrations on them. The reach of her work has no limits.

 

“When I create a piece, I incorporate a lot of positive words into it in the hopes that it lifts people up.”

One distinct aspect of Chocomoo’s art is the black and white monotone colouring. When asked why she draws in this way, she said: “I did calligraphy from elementary school to high school and was captivated by how we would write in black. When using black ink, it has a matte look to it, and when using black paint, it’s got a glossiness. I think that’s part of the reason why I do it.”

 

This will be Chocomoo’s biggest exhibition. She is currently working on new material and looking into the details of the exhibition. Speaking about it, she said: “I want to try evolving in a way that’s me. I’m aiming to stimulate the people who come to see my work in a different kind of way.”

She also commented on the ‘OUR SECRET PARTY’ part of the exhibition title. “It’s an exhibition of my work, but I want everyone to enjoy it like they would a party. There’s also new things to be discovered which you won’t no about unless you visit, so I put ‘secret’ in there.”

 

Chocomoo was asked to give a comment on her future plans and goals. She said, with a smile: “I want to steadily keep doing what I’m best at without changing what I already have, but I also want my work to reach lots of children too. I’d be happy for them to colour in my work, and I want to challenge myself to making some kind of video format aimed at kids. After that, since I’ve already painted a car, I want to go bigger and paint an aeroplane!”

 

Interview/Original Text: Naho Sotome (五月女菜穂)

Photos: 大黒屋 Ryan 尚保

English Translation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

 

As Chocomoo looks to expand her portfolio and reach, we look forward to seeing what she has in store for her exhibition in Harajuku.

 

©2020 Chocomoo

Ginza Sony Park is set to display their #012 Affinity in Autonomy exhibition at the Ginza Sony Park buildingーwhich is a project for the renovation of the Sony Buildingーfrom December 14, 2019.

Affinity in Autonomy was first shown by Sony at Milan Design Week 2019 which was held back in April. It received huge praise from attendees, and so Ginza Sony Park are bringing it back home to showcase at the building, which has enjoyed over 5 million visitors since it opened, for more people to experience it. The exhibit looks at elevating the affinity between humans and robots so that they may co-exist.

Also as part of the exhibition, Sony will showcase five individual pieces entitled Awakening, Accordance, Autonomous, Affiliation, and Association, which make use of image sensors. As visitors experience each one in order, their affinity towards robots will grow. Sound and visuals will play in response to people’s movements.

The exhibition combines sound, colour and interaction, offering new insight into robots. What’s more is that the robots recognise humans and response in real time, further enhancing the realism offered by the experience.

 

If you’re in Tokyo this holiday season, and are looking for the robots, then be sure to pay a visit to Ginza Sony Park.

Doraemon Future Department Store is the world’s first official Doraemon shop, and it’s set to open tomorrow on December 1, 2019. Before its grand opening, however, the store has given customers a sneak peek into what to expect.

 

The shop’s concept is from the perspective of Doraemon, who says, “I’ll help make your future a good one.” It’s split into three areas: the Secret Gadget Lab, the Customise Zone, and the Shop Zone, each of which offers a unique Doraemon experience you won’t find anywhere else.

 

Secret Gadget Lab

 

The Anywhere Door

Just like in the manga and anime series, the Dokodemo Door, or Anywhere Door, lets you travel anywhere.

 

Discover secret gadgets, like the air gun!

Have a go at trying to shoot and hit the 10 targets within the time limit.

*Requires one Doraemon Future Department Store coin to play

 

Dorayaki Baybayin Game

Touch the dorayaki to increase your score. Touch too many, and something crazy might just happen…

*Requires one Doraemon Future Department Store coin to play

 

Fly as far as you can with the Bamboo Copter

Reach the goal with the Take-copter, or Bamboo Copter.

*Requires one Doraemon Future Department Store coin to play

 

Customise Zone

 

Embroidered items

Embroider Doraemon characters and the logo onto towels, bags, clothes and more.

 

Characters (18 Designs): ¥700 Each (Before Tax)

Text  (45 Designs): ¥400 Each (Before Tax)

*The place where a design is embroidered is chosen for you

*There may be a waiting time during busy hours

 

Carved Seal Items

Have character designs, text and more carved onto various items like key rings.

 

Plate Key Ring (10 Designs) – ¥1,000 Each (Before Tax)

Room Key Holder (6 Designs) – ¥1,200 Each (Before Tax)

¥500 per carving (Before Tax)

*There may be a waiting time during busy hours

 

Shop Zone (Exclusive Merchandise)

These cute mugs have illustrations of Doraemon’s secret gadgets on one side, and the first letter of those gadgets written in Katakana on the other side. It makes you want to collect them all!

 

Product Name (Pictured): Doraemon Dora-moji Mug Cup A

Price: ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

 

This cute figure of Doraemon is actually a piggy bank, a perfect gift to yourself or someone else!

 

Product Name: Doraemon Piggy Bank

Product: ¥4,000 (Before Tax)

 

Book Corner

There’s even a book shop where you can pick up the latest issues of the Doraemon comic.

 

Bonus Items

To celebrate its grand opening, the store will give out the following items to customers.

Those who purchase any piece of merchandise will receive a free postcard with an original design with every transaction.

For every ¥4,000 (tax included) spent on a transaction on merch, you’ll get an original handkerchief.

And for every book bought, you’ll get a holographic postcard featuring a design of volume 0 of the manga.

 

*Bonus items available while supplies last

Christmas is about to fall upon VenusFort in Odaiba, Tokyo, with a snow-pile of Christmas content set to take place at the mall from November 30 onward. This will include the exhibiting of teamLab’s hugely popular “The Trees of Resonating Colors of Life” installation.

teamLab, The Tree of Resonating Colors of Life, 2018, Interactive Installation, Endless, H: 8000 mm W: 6000 mm D: 6000 mm Sound: Hideaki Takahashi© teamLab

Located in the Olive Plaza, this interactive art piece is a three-dimensional tree made up of many light spheres which change colour as people touch them.

The popular annual “SNOW WISH” event will also take place again this year, where delicate snow falls gracefully from the ceiling. This year the event is collaborating with “VenusFort Illumination 2019-2020 -Grateful Harmony-” to create a heart-warming and enchanting Christmas display that’s sure to put you in the Christmas mood.

There will also be a Christmas raffle where you can win prizes, a special VenusFort Christmas party menu, as well as a Black Friday Market where you can grab some serious bargains.

 

Be sure to add Odaiba on your list of places to visit if you’re celebrating Christmas and the holiday season in Tokyo this year.

teamLab has announced a new digital art event entitled “teamLab: Digitized Fukuoka Castle Ruins” which will bring interactive digital art to Fukuoka Castle from November 29 to February 2.

Breathing Resonating Stone Wall – Fukuoka Castle Ruins, teamLab, 2017, Digital Installation, Endless, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

Construction of Fukuoka Castle began in 1601 and took place over the course of 7 years. The historical landmark is lined with hundreds of meters of stone walls, which has led the castle to be nicknamed Stone Castle.

Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives in the Stone Wall – Fukuoka Castle Tower Ruins, teamLab, 2017, Interactive Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

The exhibition is a part of teamLab’s Digitized City art project, the concept of which is that non-material digital technology can turn a city into art without physically altering it.

 

The castle’s enormous span of 20,000 square meters will be decorated with interactive digital art that reacts to people’s presence.

Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as Well in the Stone Wall – Fukuoka Castle Tower Ruins, teamLab, 2019, Digital Installation, 4 min 20 sec (loop), Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

Sketch Kuroda Kanbei, teamLab, 2019, Interactive Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi, Kenta Matsukuma, Jun Tanaka (Big Cats Creatives) 

7 installations will make up the exhibition, including 4 new ones such as Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as Well in the Stone Wall – Fukuoka Castle Tower Ruins, where three-legged crowds from Japanese mythology known as Yatagarasu are rendered in light and fly across the castle walls, and Sketch Kuroda Kanbei, where people can draw Kuro Kanbei and historical figures and see them come to life.

With the increase in number of collaborations between contemporary digital art and traditional and historical Kyoto sites, teamLab is getting in on the action with its new digital art exhibition “Digitized Forest at the World Heritage Site of Shimogamo Shrine.”

 

We are joined by Instagrammer Macchan who recently attended the exhibition and who has provided photos for us.

 

Shimogamo Shrine is a shrine located between the Kamo River and Mount Kōya. It was registered it as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The shrine is associated good luck in marriage and welcomes sightseers from Japan and around the world. It can be reached by the 205 Bus from Kyoto Station and getting off at either Shimogamo Shrine (下鴨神社) or Tadasu Forest (糺ノ森前). It’s also about a 20-minute taxi ride from Kyoto Station.

 

This marks the third run of teamLab’s “Digitized Forest” exhibition at Shimogamo Shrine, and this year’s exhibition has been made even bigger. It is running until September 2, 2019.

Floating by the Rōmon Gate of the shrine are spheres of light which change colour and emit various musical tones unique to the colour when touched by a person. They also react to the other spheres around them, changing to the same colour and letting out the same tone, creating a chain reaction.

Egg-shaped orbs of light can be found dotted around the Tadasu Forest by the shrine which illuminate the trees. Like the light spheres, when the eggs are pushed they change colour and play a musical noise specific to that colour, the sound and tone spreading through the forest.

These objects of light can also be found at Mitarashi Pond where they float on the water. The orbs shine brightly and then fade slowly as if breathing. If pushed by people or blown by the wind they will change colour and emit sound.

 

The best part about teamLab’s art exhibitions is how visitors become part of the exhibition itself by interacting with the installations, offering a much more engaging experience than simply looking. Visit Shimogamo Shrine before the exhibition ends to see digital art meet a traditional Japanese shrine at night.

 

 

If you’re looking for more sightseeing recommendations for Kyoto then be sure to follow Macchan on Instagram!

 

Photos by まっちゃん

teamLab opened a permanent exhibition of their interactive art piece A blackboard where Little People Live on the 4th floor of MUJI Åhléns City in Stockholm, Sweden on August 16, 2019.

Inside this interactive digital art display lives a population of little people, and we can interact with their world by drawing lines and popping bubbles with our fingers. There is no goal in this game, you are simply encouraged to interact freely as you wish.

 

Experience the incredible world of digital art like you have never seen with teamLab.

Those interested in Japanese art should most definitely visit the hotel and museum Hotel Gajoen Tokyo which is now holding the 5th Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan art exhibition until September 1.

It is taking place at its Hyakudan Kaidan, or ‘100 Steps Staircase’―which was registered by Tokyo Prefecture as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 for its exceptional architecture and artistic beauty. This year’s event has been made bigger and better with brand new exhibits.

Visitors will ride the exquisitely decorated elevator and first come to an Aomori Nebuta Festival-style float as pictured above with its bright colours and angry gaze. This piece was created specially for the event. It also gives off an original summery smell too.

As you follow the path deeper into the exhibition―having first taken off your shoes―you will come a line of cloth crafts. You can switch on the lights inside to light up each piece which radiate the natural colours of the material. There are many cloth work pieces on display to enjoy.

This is what it looks like when looking up the 100 Step Staircase from the bottom. You will come to several rooms when ascending the stairs with light displays in them.

This is the first room inside which is a display created by bamboo lighting artist NITTAKE from Nichinan, Miyazaki. The bamboo is beautiful on its own but even more so when the lights are turned on in a dark room as the entire room is turned into artwork itself.

Continuing on you come to the “Nagasaki Lantern Festival.” You can see the lights before you even enter the room and they plunge you into that Japanese festival atmosphere. It’s truly spectacular inside. It’s different from the previous room which was dark with lights hanging from it. It’s even more bright and colourful. It made me want to visit the real Nagasaki Lantern Festival which boasts 1 million visitors every year.

This room contains umbrella art using Japanese umbrellas from Yamaga, Kumamoto. The colours of the umbrellas turn the room into something magical. The room has a relaxing, soothing vibe to it that makes you want to gaze in silence.

Dangling further up the stairs are wind chimes which continue the summer vibes.

There are many unique art pieces too such as these goldfish from Yanai, Yamaguchi. There is artwork from around 40 individuals and groups so there is lots to be discovered. Take your time to admire each and every thing in there.

The stairs actually go up to 99. Once you have seen the final exhibition on the top floor it’s time to return to the bottom where you take your shoes off.

Whether you’re interested in art or Japanese culture, this exciting event is one not to be missed this summer.