On August 23rd, Shinjuku Alta, the symbol of Shinjuku's East Exit, will be covered in Yayoi Kusama's polka dots. Her new work, "LOVE FOREVER," will be exhibited for a limited time across the entire building's facade, and polka dot images will be shown on the Alta Vision screen more than 20 times a day, completely transforming the building into a polka dot cityscape. This work is part of the Shinjuku Creators Festa 2013, an event that brings together works by avant-garde artists, contemporary artists, photographers, and art producers throughout the Shinjuku Station area. The Festa runs from August 23rd to September 8th. Kusama, an honorary resident of Shinjuku Ward, will also unveil two new balloons, Yayoi-chan (4m tall) and Tokoton (2.4m tall). Other events planned for the event include new and unreleased works by Yoichiro Kawaguchi, a leading figure in CG art who was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon this spring, as well as the Kanto region debut of "Mammalian," a giant monster by contemporary artist Noboru Tsubaki. Other planned events include a screening of "Near Equal Daido Moriyama," a documentary film following the work of photographer Daido Moriyama; "Urban Humor," a public art exhibition by art director Fram Kitagawa, who is also involved with the Setouchi Triennale; an exhibition by Tokyo-based French architect and designer Emmanuelle Moureaux; and an exhibition of works by An Kanie, an artist active in a wide range of fields, including printmaking, picture book production, stage art, and costume design. Other planned events include the "Student Art Competition," which showcases and awards works by university and vocational school students from across the country; the "Children's Art Program," a workshop where children paint a large mural on the former Koma Theater's wall; the "Hyakki Yagyo Project," held in Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho and Shinjuku Golden Gai; and "Cine Festa Shinjuku," screening summer romance films selected by film critic LiLiCo. An art-themed cafe will also open in Shinjuku More 4th Avenue, immersing Shinjuku in a world of art. The festival, which began in 2011 and is now in its third year, has grown in size every year, from 245,000 visitors (over nine days) in the first year to 296,000 (over 10 days) the following year. Attending the press conference, Kawaguchi said, "Shinjuku is currently the most vibrant city. I hope that Art Festa will serve as a catalyst for Shinjuku's transformation into a new city of art." Additionally, Executive Committee Chairperson Nakayama Hiroko, Mayor of Shinjuku Ward, explained, "Suburban art events are the norm, but in Shinjuku, which has the highest number of passengers, we can take advantage of the 'traditional city genes' that have continued since the Edo period and allow more people to see the art. We want to establish this as a summer art event."


[Event Information]
Shinjuku Creators Festa 2013
Location: All areas around Shinjuku Station
Dates: August 23rd to September 8th
*Children's Art: August 17th to September 8th