WOW explores tokyo + kokeshi dolls through two digital installations at japan house london

from 21 november 2019 to 22 march 2020, japan house london presents WOW: city lights and woodland shade – digital art encounters with japan, the first UK solo exhibition of multidisciplinary visual design studio, WOW. the studio, which is involved in a wide field of design work, including advertising and commercial works for brands such as sony, aston martin, dior, and pokémon, will exhibit two digital installations exploring both the urban future and timelessness of rural japan. titled tokyo light odyssey, the first installation presents a mind-bending 360-degree space reimagining of japan’s capital city by night, while poppo, the second exhibit, is a digital display that includes three different installations focusing on kokeshi – wooden dolls and o-taka poppo – carved wooden figures in the shape of hawks, both originating in the tōhoku region of north-eastern japan, highlighting WOW’s roots in sendai.

all images courtesy of WOW

showcasing WOW‘s unique approach to digital arts for the first time in a solo show in the UK, japan house london will welcome two of its mesmerizing installations that focus both on the urban and the rural character of the country. the first installation, titled tokyo light odyssey, presents a mind-bending 360-degree reimagining of japan’s capital city by night, to herald 2020 and the year when the world looks to tokyo for the olympic and paralympic games. using omnidirectional motion graphics, the artists contort the familiar cityscape of neon lights emanating from train stations and convenience store logos floating in the darkness, presenting an entirely new interpretation of the tokyo. each scene, projected around the walls, appears as a fragment of the illuminated city hurtling through the night sky, leaving visitors with a lingering sense of having emerged from a dream.

poppo, the second digital display, explores the folk art of japan’s countryside with three different installations that focus on kokeshi – wooden dolls and o-taka poppo – carved wooden figures in the shape of hawks, both originating in the country’s tōhoku region. visitors will have the chance to carve their own kokeshi doll through touch screens, and digitize them to become part of the exhibition, displayed on the walls of the gallery. through photo technology, they will also be able to project their own faces on to the kokeshi, to create their own unique, virtual doll. this display highlights WOW’s imaginative representation of folk art in the digital age, while it invites the public to as touch, play and immerse themselves within the exhibition.