KUMA EXHIBITION 2022

HAPPENINGText: Taketo Oguchi

The KUMA Exhibition 2022 showcased future creativity that transcends the boundaries of contemporary art, technology, architecture, music, film, fiction, and entertainment. It is the highlight of the 71 students of the 5th Kuma Foundation and took place in Roppongi from March to April 2022.

The Kuma Foundation was established in 2016 by Naruatsu Baba, the founder of COLOPL, inc, to support young aspiring creators to lead the next generation’s creativity. With the vision “To create the world where creativity resonates with each other”, the foundation provides “creator scholarships” to support students under 25. The KUMA EXHIBITION is held annually to showcase the new talent’s work across different genres and its brand new potential for the creative scene – it is the culmination of their program.


Exhibition Part 01, ANB Tokyo

With the concept “Trans X Formation”, this year, the exhibition was taken place in Roppongi, Tokyo, in two different formats: a gallery exhibition and a town hall presentation.

The gallery exhibition was held at the art complex ANB Tokyo and was divided into Part 01 (18th – 27th March) and Part 02 (1st – 10th April).


Exhibition Part 01, ANB Tokyo

The means of expressions that students used were diverse; they were mainly focused on two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks – from contemporary art to photography, video, music, technology, crafts, Japanese painting, installation, and XR.

Yume Aoyama, an artist chosen for the 25th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art (TARO Award), exhibited an extensive 3.2 x 6.5m big work. She sees modern life from a mythological perspective and creates artworks representing the symbiosis between humans and nature – a cycle of healing and destruction. Miho Takahashi presented an animated film shot with scanned and digitally collaged paper cut-outs; Mai Kurotaki portrayed monumental works that look like modern totem poles from a single large tree inspired by the indigenous culture, folk beliefs, and mythology.

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