PROJECT: Oishii Ukiyo-e: The Roots of Japanese Cuisine
ROLE: Lead Art Director & Designer
EXPERTISE: Campaign Concept, Visual Identity (VI), Out-of-Home (OOH) & Transit Advertising, Environmental Graphics, Digital & Print Rollout
ROLE: Lead Art Director & Designer
EXPERTISE: Campaign Concept, Visual Identity (VI), Out-of-Home (OOH) & Transit Advertising, Environmental Graphics, Digital & Print Rollout
OVERVIEW
Art direction and integrated promotional campaign for Oishii Ukiyo-e: The Roots of Japanese Cuisine, a special exhibition held at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Roppongi Hills.
Exploring the appeal of traditional Japanese food culture through the distinct lens of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, I led the creative concept development, key visual creation, and overall design direction over the course of a year. From initial teaser advertising to transit takeovers, flyers, tickets, promotional merchandise, and the official website, I spearheaded a multi-touchpoint media rollout. Collaborating closely with partner teams, I oversaw a consistent visual identity that gracefully lowered the barrier to traditional art for modern audiences.
CHALLENGE
While ukiyo-e is globally celebrated as an iconic pinnacle of Japanese traditional art, it often carries a persistent perception among modern general audiences as something academic, formal, and difficult to approach. The primary challenge was how to dismantle this psychological barrier and drive broad, diverse foot traffic to the exhibition.
Furthermore, the project faced unprecedented disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in postponed exhibition dates and strict capacity restrictions. This demanded an agile, highly disciplined creative process—navigating fluctuating timelines while maintaining the flexibility to reframe and adapt communication strategies in response to rapidly shifting social conditions.
APPROACH
Historically, ukiyo-e functioned much like everyday pop culture—serving as the manga, illustrated magazines, and commercial advertisements of common people in the Edo period. Rather than adopting the heavy, solemn tone typical of traditional fine art exhibitions, I proposed a bold counter-concept: redefining ukiyo-e through the lens of vibrant popular culture.
As the cornerstone of this identity, I designed an iconic speech-bubble symbol that fuses the Japanese character "お" (O)—representing discovery, awe, and joy—with the gentle rising steam of freshly cooked food. Anchored by this playful visual language, I led the integrated art direction across a diverse spectrum of contemporary media touchpoints.
CREATIVE DETAILS
Teaser & Visual Identity
Multi-Phase Promotional Flyovers / Multi-Phase Flyers
Out-of-Home(OOH) & Transit Takeover
Collateral & Merchandise
Official Website