Exhibited April 29, 2015 to September 13, 2015
Hello Kitty, Sabastian Masuda.
Japanese artist Sebastian Masuda brings his multi-city Time After Time Capsule in the form of a nine-foot-tall giant sculpture of Kitty to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. “Do not underestimate the power of kawaii!” said Japan Society director and curator Miwako Tezuka in a statement. The museum helped bring the artist’s project to New York, where it coincides with the Japan Society’s second rotation of its exhibition “Life of Cats: Selections from the Hiraki Ukiyo-e Collection,” featuring 130 woodblock prints, paintings, and artworks spanning the 18th to 20th centuries.
In case you didn’t know, Kawaii is cuteness in the context of Japanese culture. Sabastian Masuda’s work fueled the obsession with “cute” or “adorable” that has become a prominent aspect of pop culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms.that is distinctively Japanese, yet contains familiar American elements.
The Time Capsule project kicked off in Miami at last year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, and will move to Amsterdam after its NYC run. At each location, programming will be held for children and families. Part of the fun is getting to combine their personal objects with pieces from the artists 6%DOKIDOKI line, and add them to the time capsule. Sculptures from each city will reunite in 2020 in Tokyo for the city’s summer Olympics.
