oscar oiwa inks 360° monochrome dreamscape mural in california using 120 sharpie markers

from january 10 – april 26, 2020, USC pacific asia museum in pasadena, california presents a solo exhibition by brazil-born, japanese artist oscar oiwa, featuring an immersive 360° dreamscape mural. ‘dreams of a sleeping world’ is an expansive, site-specific work that has been carefully created over two weeks by hand. drawn by oiwa, his assistant, and four USC roski school of fine art MFA students using about 120 sharpie markers, the dreamscape is rendered in black ink on the interior of a bespoke white nylon dome that spans nearly 800 square feet.

all installation images: dreams of a sleeping world, installation view, 2019

visitors stepping into the dome at USC pacific asia museum are immersed in otherworldly imagery, including oiwa’s signature swirling cloud and earth forms. ‘oiwa’s dreamscape will transform our auditorium into a transcendental space where visitors can contemplate the chaos of the exterior world and all its intricacies and find peace on the inside,’ said USC PAM curator dr. rebecca hall.

upon exiting the dome, visitors find a suite of colorful and surreal landscape paintings also by oiwa, comprising fantastical imagery that addresses the transformation of the environment. the artist’s large-scale paintings of city and forest-scapes defy the laws of physics and act as allegories of existential threats to the world — where animals and specters swim through the skies. 

hotel office 6, 2019, oil on canvas, 53 x 70 inches

light shop, 2018, oil on canvas, 70 x 54 inches

exhibition info: 

artist: oscar oiwa

venue: USC pacific asia museum

dates: january 10 – april 26, 2020