Sebastian Masuda unveils his debut solo exhibition at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, titled ‘Yes, Kawaii is Art -EXPRESS YOURSELF-’. The showcase will grace Japan House for six months, beginning on May 2, 2024. An exclusive preview of the exhibit and venue was granted earlier this week.
Masuda’s artistic endeavors last graced Los Angeles eight years ago as part of the TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE art project at the JANM (Japanese American National Museum) in 2017. The upcoming exhibition will feature selections from the ‘Yes, Kawaii is Art’ showcase held in Kitakagaya, Osaka, and Kanda Myojin, Tokyo, in 2021. Alongside virtual reality works crafted during the pandemic and other pieces making their U.S. debut, a creation entitled EXPRESS YOURSELF, serving as the exhibition’s subtitle, will be unveiled for the first time.
Exploring the essence of ‘Kawaii,’ Masuda, a prominent figure in Harajuku, Tokyo, for three decades since the 1990s before relocating to the U.S. in 2021, will delve into its historical and conceptual depths through the exhibition. He aims to present novel prospects for the sustenance and enduring allure of ‘kawaii’ from his distinctive and imaginative standpoint.
This marks the inaugural U.S. exhibition of collaborative endeavors with the ‘kawaii’ community. Within the exhibition, artifacts from a research project undertaken with students from Kyoto University of Art’s Ultra Factory in 2020 and 2021 have been reimagined for the global stage, marking their overseas debut. Inspired by Masuda’s quest to unravel the historical origins of Kawaii culture, the project culminated in the creation of a timeline analyzing the evolution of Kawaii culture from postwar girls’ magazines to its integration with Harajuku street fashion in the 1990s and its subsequent global dissemination as a cornerstone of Japanese pop culture. An online gathering with the ongoing global Kawaii community will be convened, with a world map showcasing participants’ locations on display.
Also making its U.S. debut is the ‘Sense Share Bear,’ a virtual reality creation developed in collaboration with Berlin’s Kawaii community, premiering at the Pudong Art Museum in Shanghai in 2021. Crafted through remote communication with Berlin-based creative unit MORI during the pandemic, visitors can engage with the creation while interacting with a colossal stuffed bear. Attendees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in ‘kawaii’ as an interactive encounter, transcending mere visual appreciation.
While exploring Sebastian Masuda’s exhibition, visitors are encouraged to peruse the library of JAPAN HOUSE located on level 5, featuring a collection of Japanese books amidst captivating city vistas. During the event, Yuko Kaifu, President of JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, led a guided tour of the venue, introducing attendees to the onsite restaurant, UKA. Additionally, both Chef Yoshitaka Mitsue and Chef Shingo Kato shared insights into the restaurant and its culinary offerings.
EXHIBIT – “Yes, KAWAII is Art -EXPRESS YOURSELF-”
Dates – 05.02.2024 (Thu.) – 11.03.2024 (Sun.)
Hours – Mon. – Fri. | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sat. – Sun. | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Location – JAPAN HOUSE Gallery, Level 2
Fee – Free
Sebastian Masuda Profile
Born in Chiba in 1970, Masuda emerges as a contemporary artist and the progenitor of kawaii culture. In 1995, he inaugurated his now iconic establishment, 6%DOKIDOKI, catalyzing a distinctive and thriving community with his boundless imagination.
Over the span of two decades, Masuda has traversed this creative landscape, leaving his imprint on stages, screens, and museums worldwide. From collaborating on music videos with pop luminaries to erecting a colossal Hello Kitty in New York, his creations reignite a sense of childlike awe in his spectators, compelling them to participate. While his mediums and methodologies continually evolve, collaborative endeavors remain central to his artistic ethos. Leveraging the pervasive channels of pop culture, Masuda ensnares a broad audience in his singular vision.
He crafts visuals for esteemed Japanese brands, constructs sets for film and theater productions, and directs videos for superstar Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Masuda’s influence extends globally through his speeches at museums, conferences, and various gatherings. Notable solo exhibitions include last year’s immensely popular “Colorful Rebellion: Seventh Nightmare,” exhibited in Milan, Miami, and New York, as well as “Acchi to Kocchi” (2016) in Tokyo. His ongoing project, “Time After Time Capsule,” entails the creation of ten colossal kawaii time capsules, each to be filled with items personalized by denizens of ten cities worldwide. In 2020, these time capsules will converge in Tokyo, metamorphosing into a sculpture for the Olympic Games. “True Colors” epitomizes the latest evolution in Masuda’s body of work, championing his belief that “color wields an emotional impact and liberates the mind” through his dynamic multimedia collages.
JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles
JAPAN HOUSE presents Japan from diverse perspectives encompassing arts and crafts, design, architecture, science and technology, pop culture, and food culture. Rather than encapsulating Japan within a singular definition, the establishment continually poses the genuine question “What is Japan?” while enriching visitors’ comprehension of Japan’s ever-evolving cultural landscape. Occupying 14,000 sq. ft. across two floors in Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood Highland), JHLA serves as a gateway introducing a multitude of facets of Japan to both U.S. and international guests.
The second-floor area features a gallery spotlighting Japanese creativity alongside the WAZA store, offering products sourced from across Japan. On the fifth floor, guests can discover the UKA kaiseki restaurant, a versatile salon space, and a serene library boasting panoramic views of Hollywood and Los Angeles.
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