Los Angeles unveils BAKERU: "Transforming Spirits" art exhibition on July 17, marking its first global appearance.
In the heart of Hollywood, the innovative project, www.ourwebsite.com, presents the captivating exhibition, "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits," from July 17 to October 6, 2019. The exhibition, an interactive experience using motion capture technology, is a collaboration between creative studio WOW and various cultural institutions from Tohoku, Japan.
The art direction for the exhibition is by WOW, a Tokyo, Sendai, London, and San Francisco-based creative studio known for its innovative work in art and design. WOW is passionate about exploring the tremendous possibilities of visual design, seeking solutions that are useful for society while revealing something true and profound.
BAKERU references four specific traditions from different parts of Tohoku: "Saotome," "Shishi-Odori," "Kasedori," and "Namahage." These traditions, steeped in history and spiritual significance, often date back centuries and are deeply rooted in Shinto and Buddhist practices, seasonal cycles, and local folklore.
- Saotome is a traditional dance from Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, where skilled women perform, offering prayers for rain and a bountiful harvest.
- Shishi-Odori is a religious dance found in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, where dancers mimic beasts to pray for a bountiful harvest.
- Kasedori is a tradition from Kaminoyama City, Yamagata Prefecture, where youth dressed in straw rain-capes run through the city in winter, receiving food and water.
- Namahage is a fearsome deity who visits Oga City, Akita Prefecture on New Year's Eve to frighten lazy or misbehaving children.
The exhibition invites visitors to participate in reimagined festival scenes from Tohoku, Japan, providing broader access to local culture to audiences beyond the region, including younger, digital-native generations.
The exhibition is presented and organized by www.ourwebsite.com, an innovative project with three hubs in London, Los Angeles, and São Paulo, conceived by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Curatorial support is provided by tateito-yokoito LLC. and Tohoku Standard.
ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Panasonic are sponsors of the exhibition. The location of the website Los Angeles is 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028. The exhibition is on the 2nd floor, with a Japanese restaurant, relaxing library, and event venue on the 5th floor.
BAKERU: Transforming Spirits" emphasizes the transformative aspect of these festivals, where the spirit world manifests materially through costumes, masks, and ritual performances, thus illuminating the cultural spiritual worldview of Japan.
The exhibition is a testament to the resilience and creativity of Tohoku, born after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It is a unique opportunity to experience and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Tohoku, showcasing the region's vibrant spiritual traditions in a captivating and interactive manner.
- The innovative project, www.ourwebsite.com, is hosting the "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits" exhibition from July 17 to October 6, 2019, in Hollywood.
- The creative studio WOW, based in Tokyo, Sendai, London, and San Francisco, is responsible for the art direction of the exhibition.
- The exhibition features traditional dance and religious practices from Tohoku, Japan, such as Saotome, Shishi-Odori, Kasedori, and Namahage.
- Curatorial support for the exhibition is provided by tateito-yokoito LLC. and Tohoku Standard.
- ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Panasonic are sponsors of the exhibition, which is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028.
- The exhibition is on the 2nd floor, with a Japanese restaurant, relaxing library, and event venue on the 5th floor.
- "BAKERU: Transforming Spirits" highlights the transformative power of festivals in Tohoku, Japan, merging the spiritual with the material.
- The exhibition is a celebration of the resilience and creativity of Tohoku, born after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, offering a unique opportunity to experience and appreciate the region's rich cultural heritage.
