Parco Announces Hikari Shimoda x Art of MIKU

Opening today in Japan, Parco, in partnership with Crypton Future Media, will host a special group exhibition to celebrate Hatsune Miku as one of the most influential idols to come out of Japan. The vocaloid's personification has been marketed as a virtual idol, and has performed at live virtual concerts onstage as an animated projection worldwide since 2007. The "Art of MIKU" exhibition features new works from notable contemporary artists celebrating the vocaloid's iconic image.

Check out Hikari's new painting for the show below!

 


 

"A Transparent Song that Saves Someone"
Oil and acrylic on canvas
30" x 24"

Inquiries: [email protected]

About the painting, Hikari shares: "I had the experience of feeling saved as a person who drew pictures on the Internet 'Paint BBS'' that I came across when I was a teenager. At the time, I was full of feelings of inferiority and self-denial towards painting, but through the internet PBBS, I was able to connect with people through painting, interact with them, and receive recognition, which allowed me to regain my creativity. Hatsune Miku was born shortly after I discovered PBBS. With the rise of her video site and the development of the Internet, many creators created their own music through her, and many artists drew Miku characters."

"The image of Hatsune Miku spreading through the internet is just like the image of the internet connection that I loved and was saved by. It's been 15 years since Hatsune Miku was born, and many songs and illustrations are still being created, and I'm sure they are providing emotional support and relief to someone. When I drew her Miku this time, I mixed in some of her own concepts. In my work, I draw light in the shape of a scar on her neck as a symbol of hope, but I transform this into a sound waveform. Also, the symbolic "horns" in my work represent the things inside my heart that I can't tell anyone about that have grown as horns, and this time I drew them as an image of Miku's singing voice."

Limited edition items will also be made available to purchase exclusively through Parco online here and to event attendees in-person at the events (below). Check out some of the exclusive items below!

 

 

"Art of MIKU" is on view now at:

Parco Sapporo: February 2 - 12, 2024
Address: Japan, 〒060-0061 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 1 Jōnishi, 3-chōme−3
Tickets available at ArtSticker:
https://artsticker.app/events/21024

Parco Shibuya: February 17, 2024 - March 4, 2024 
Address: 15-1 Udagawachō, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-8377, Japan
Tickets available at ArtSticker:
https://artsticker.app/tickets/21033