The "Power of Visuals" That WOW Has Continuously Driven

Since its establishment in 1997, WOW has been active in diverse fields, from CG animation to UI/UX design, spatial installations, product design, and architecture, as a visual design studio.

The retrospective exhibition “WOW Visual Design Studio —The World WOW Moves—,” which integrates WOW’s past, present, and future, is being held to commemorate its 20th anniversary last year. This exhibition allows visitors to experience how the "power of visuals" pioneered by WOW, combined with thought, history, and technology, creates a new era.

The exhibition's theme is "WOW's Umwelt." Umwelt is a biological term that describes the subjective world created by the distinct perceptions of each animal species.

All of WOW's works are connected by the concept of “Visual Design” — the idea that “visual things and phenomena are all subjects of design.” From monitor screens to virtual spaces, galleries, and urban landscapes, the boundaries between nature and digital, reality and fiction, matter and non-matter dissolve.

The true essence of this exhibition lies in the chemical reactions woven by the function of visuals and the people who perceive them.

The venue is a large-scale space encompassing the Spiral Garden, Esplanade facing Aoyama Dori, and Spiral Hall in Aoyama, Tokyo.


The Spiral Garden features a historical exhibition of video works, and a massive floating fabric installation, "wind form_03," hangs in the atrium's void. The Esplanade leading to the hall displays products from the "BLUEVOX!" product label, the Japanese sword "aikuchi" created in collaboration with Marc Newson, the new video work "motion texture," and studies by the in-house design unit "wowlab."

The Spiral Hall houses interactive exhibits, the centerpiece of the exhibition. "WOW's Umwelt" emerges with unprecedented scale and density.

RENDER (New Work)
This groundbreaking work consists of 20 transparent organic EL displays arranged in layers. Visitors can walk around it, experiencing fragments of overlapping visuals and sound from various perspectives, both spatially and physically. It is an attempt to elicit entirely new visual expressions unique to each viewer through the interaction of visuals, space, and the body. Premiering at Spiral Hall (3F).

BAKERU
An interactive experience where visitors can "transform" by wearing masks, inspired by the unique beings that inhabit Tohoku, the founding region of WOW, known for its rich traditional festivals (first exhibition in Tokyo). Displayed at Spiral Hall (3F).

motion texture 02 (New Work)
An updated version of WOW's seminal video installation work. Art pieces capturing the world of this work as "a single painting" will also be exhibited and sold. First exhibition at Esplanade (M2F).


wind form
This work attempts to recreate natural phenomena through simple and beautiful animation (movement) created by fabric and wind. An updated version of works presented domestically and internationally, displayed in the vast open space of the Spiral Garden (1F).

aikuchi
Featuring "aikuchi," a fusion of tradition and innovation that redefines the value of Japanese swords, created in collaboration with world-renowned designer Marc Newson. Available for purchase at 35 million yen per set.

BLUEVOX!
This project embodies the concept of "non-essential daily goods," applying the meticulous attention to form, texture, and lighting developed through visual design to tangible objects. The new work "LUX" will also be unveiled at this exhibition.


This exhibition allows visitors to experience the vision that WOW pursues through its works. We encourage you to visit and immerse yourself in the experience.

WOW Visual Design Studio —The World WOW Moves—
Dates: Friday, April 6, 2018 – Sunday, April 15, 2018
Hours: 11:00 – 20:00 (Last admission 19:30)
Venue: Spiral Garden (1F), Esplanade (M2F), Spiral Hall (3F)
Address: 5-6-23 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Admission: Spiral Garden and Esplanade are free. Spiral Hall requires a separate admission fee.
General: ¥800 | Junior High/High School Students: ¥500 | Preschoolers: Free | Pair Discount: ¥1000
Event URL:http://www.w0w.co.jp/atw

Gallery Tour by WOW Staff
Date & Time: Updated periodically on the event website
Capacity: 20 people per session *Advance registration is required via the event website.
Fee: ¥1000 (Includes exhibition admission, gallery tour, and one drink)