Ikigai

Ikigai took a Japanese idea of purpose as the starting point for a temporary exhibition in Ginza, Tokyo. Curated by Rom Levy and supported by Gypsy Eyes Tokyo, the presentation ran from 21 to 29 June 2019, bringing together D*Face, ONEQ, Martin Whatson, Hua Tunan and Cloakwork alongside prints by Banksy.

The artists were invited to respond to a concept often understood as a reason for being: the pursuits and relationships that give value to an individual life. Rather than suggesting one definition, the exhibition allowed different artistic vocabularies to articulate personal versions of the theme.

Illustration, stencil-based imagery, expressive painting and editions appeared together within the compact duration of a pop-up show. The project connected the international network developed through StreetArtNews with a Tokyo audience, using a locally rooted idea to open a conversation across different backgrounds and practices.