Produced as part of the venue design for “Unlearning the Visuals,” an exhibition held to commemorate WOW’s 25th anniversary. A passageway was designed to evoke the ever-changing atmosphere of clouds, with the shifting presence of sunlight filtering through trees swaying in the wind. By dividing the spatial experience at the venue into four distinct temporal zones and manipulating the behavior of light in each, the installation activates a seemingly still space and transforms it into something richer and more alive.

WOW was responsible for planning and producing the communication design for “Riiiver,” a new IoT platform jointly developed by Citizen Watch and VELDT. To coincide with the launch of Riiiver, the first compatible product, the solar-powered smartwatch “CITIZEN Eco-Drive Riiiver,” was released. Combining the functionality of a smartwatch with the beauty of a wristwatch, this product is characterized by the high degree of freedom it offers users to customize the watch’s functions themselves. By linking it with the Riiiver smartphone app, users can assign their preferred functions to the buttons and freely control the movement of the hands. The promotional video focuses on the distinctive motion of the hands, graphically depicting the various movements of the three hands, the body design, and the color variations in a fast-paced sequence. It also expresses the connections and sharing between apps through this watch by arranging multiple color variations of the watch on a single screen.

The Akanko Ainu Craft Cooperative, which is engaged in awareness-raising activities to promote Ainu culture, and the NPO Akan Tourism Association Town Development Promotion Organization, which works on destination development as a Japan-style regional DMO, have revamped the lineup at the Akan Lake Ainu Theater “Ikoro*1.” A new program, “Akan Yukar*2: Lost Kamuy,” which combines digital art and traditional Ainu dance, began public performances on March 19, 2019. WOW was responsible for the stage video direction and production. This program was created to introduce the traditional culture inherited by the Ainu people of Akan Lake Onsen, including their songs and dances, to the many visitors who come to the area from Japan and abroad. Creators attracting attention in fields such as photography, digital art, and sound design, including Nagi Yoshida, Kuniyuki Takahashi, UNO, WOW, and Daisuke Sakamoto (JTB Communication Design), gathered in Akan Lake. Combining traditional Ainu dance, contemporary dance, 3DCG, and 7.1-channel surround sound, they produced the new performance “Lost Kamuy,” which brought the stage to life through five projectors. In the work, a story themed on “the coexistence of the Ainu and the Ezo wolf” is dynamically brought to life through digital technology and dance, allowing audiences to fully experience the Ainu worldview, born from the songs and dances of a people who have revered nature and lived in harmony with it. In addition, the performances “Ainu Traditional Dance” and “The Iomante Fire Festival” have also been renewed, introducing Ainu culture through both traditional and innovative staging. *1 “Ikoro” means “treasure” in the Ainu language. The small “ㇿ” represents an Ainu sound. *2 “Yukar” is a word meaning “epic poem” passed down among the Ainu people.

About the Work On July 19, 2019, Grand Cinema Sunshine, a large 12-screen cinema complex, opened in Ikebukuro. Grand Cinema Sunshine offers future-standard entertainment through facilities and services that go beyond the conventional standards of cinema complexes, including the state-of-the-art “IMAX® Laser / GT Technology,” the largest permanent cinema installation in Japan, and “4DX with ScreenX,” an immersive theater making its debut in Japan, as well as playful interior design that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the world of film. WOW was responsible for the direction of “Lumière,” the chandelier installed in the 4th-floor entrance lobby of the facility, and “Motion Ceiling,” the giant LED display covering the ceiling on the 12th floor. We also created a linked visual presentation for 47 vertical 55-inch signage displays installed on the walls and pillars throughout the facility, extracting the world of “Motion Ceiling.” Lumière We created a chandelier that serves as an icon of Grand Cinema Sunshine, as “a new art form incorporating contemporary interpretation and technology.” The surface of a 2.7-meter-diameter sphere made of stainless steel with a mirror finish was divided into 47 Voronoi sections, and by projecting images from four directions, the visuals displayed on the screen embedded at the center are repeatedly and intricately reflected. The chandelier’s design and structural concept were handled by Tofu Architects. Evoking a colossal kaleidoscope of light, the chandelier adds a dazzling presence to the entrance space of Grand Cinema Sunshine. Motion Ceiling Covering the enormous ceiling, approximately 31 meters wide and 10 meters high, is the art motion graphics work “Motion Ceiling.” Inspired by a beautiful ceiling painting, this work was created around three themes: “GEOMETRY,” characterized by nimble tile actions; “REFLECTION,” depicting a giant cloth gracefully fluttering in the sky; and “LIGHT,” which expresses a glittering city enveloped by countless particles. The LED display spanning the entire ceiling is so massive that it can also be seen from the surrounding streets. The presentation was designed with both the people relaxing in the café and lounge spaces and those viewing it from the nearby streets, looking up at it, in mind.

From Wednesday, March 15 to Friday, April 7, 2017, the Tokyu Plaza Ginza held its first anniversary event, “BLOOMING DAYS 1st ANNIVERSARY.” WOW was responsible for planning, directing, and producing the installation “BLOOM DANCE,” which was exhibited at KIRIKO LOUNGE on the 6th floor.

An inorganic space composed of mirrors. Mirror balloons, filling the entire space, animate and float while endlessly reflecting light and objects. An installation work that depicts a living organism drifting and moving through the gently swaying balloons.