With the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo approaching, street art in Osaka is attracting increasing attention. One of the most active is the mural project "YODOKABE".
The impetus for the project was the Corona disaster. What is the goal of the project?
YODOKABE is a mural project by BAKIBAKI, an artist originally from Osaka and based in Yodogawa Ward, active in the Yodogawa area of Osaka. It all started with the Corona Disaster in March 2021, when he painted a huge portrait of a nightingale as a tribute to medical professionals with the support of the Yodogawa Ward Office.
BAKIBAKI launched a project to increase the number of murals in Ju-so, a downtown area in Yodogawa Ward, with the goal of "creating a mural museum of the future". Many artists from Japan and abroad have participated in the project to date, and are working energetically to achieve the goal of "30 murals by 2025".
Public art continues to grow as the circle of support expands.
BAKIBAKI, the founder of YODOKABE, fuses tradition and street culture with his signature "BAKI pattern" based on ancient Japanese patterns and family crests. With live painting as the root of its activities, BAKIBAKI has been energetically active both in Japan and abroad.
Currently, at his atelier "Juso Hikari Studio" in Yodogawa Ward, he is in close contact with many mural artists, and together with other artists he has befriended, he is making efforts for YODOKABE activities. The support of the public has grown, and the crowdfunding campaign to support the creation of YODOKABE murals has doubled the target amount. The number of murals available for viewing continues to grow, reaching 14 by November 2023.
BAKIBAKI's representative works include the Nightingale, which was the starting point of his activities, as well as a mural portrait of OKAMOTO Taro, created as the live painting duo "DOPPEL" with BAKIBAKI and Mon. The work painted on an apartment building along a riverside embodies a strong will to "continue the legacy of OKAMOTO Taro and take on the challenge of new expression".
"Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival vol.3" to be held in December 2023 will be a collaboration between YODOKABE and the Art Festival. As a project to reconsider Osaka's streets and art, five new mural paintings will be presented along with talk events and viewing tours.
Behind this project is the organizer's wish that "through YODOKABE, which is expanding in a community-based manner, many people will be able to learn about Osaka's street scene and culture, which is different from that of other cities, and that they will be able to witness the charm and diversity of Osaka by experiencing the city of Ju-so.
YODOKABE has been gathering supporters, mainly local residents, with its vision of "creating a mural museum of the future". YODOKABE will continue to promote not only the local vitalization of the Yodogawa area, but also the appeal of mural culture to a large number of people.
Sometimes, murals are painted in places you would never expect to find them. While walking around the streets of Ju-so at your own pace, enjoy the new works of public art that are being created one after another on the YODOKABE.
Address | Around Yodogawa-ku, Osaka City |
Note | Locations differ for each work. Please check the website for the latest information. |
Official Website |
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