special projects
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ARTECHOUSE – interactive HANAMI exhibit –

HANAMI Beyond the Blossoms is an interactive art x technology exhibit at Artechouse in Washington DC.

The audience can enjoy virtual spring by experience and interacting with cherry blossoms, explosions, and gigantic sea waves with the background music of Japanese drums.
It was a unique experience for me as an illustrator to create the concept and key elements, which were turned into moving and interacting scenes by the talented team of Artechouse.The exhibit was initially scheduled to open between March and April 2020, however, due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the venue had to close for months, then reopened from July to October to let the visitors experience the lost and missed spring of 2020.

awards and recognitions: Society of Illustrators Gold Medal, Communication Arts Illustration annual (both 2021)

“Hanami: Beyond the Blooms is an immersive, multi-room experience that takes you on a journey of springtime renewal. Hanami: Beyond the Blooms features these cherry blossom inspired installations:  

  • In Rapture by Yuko Shimizu: This installation was inspired by Yuko’s childhood memories of cherry blossom trees in Japan, evoking both the chaos of rebirth and renewal.

  • Awakening: Explore the sound of traditional Japanese taiko drums, reimagined with cutting-edge technology.

  • Walking with Petals: Walk beneath a surreal path of Cherry Blossom trees, made entirely out of hand-illustrated elements.

  • Hana Saku Biome: Experience cherry blossoms with all of your senses. As you walk through, cherry blossoms fill the space around you and you learn what exactly makes a cherry blossom tree grow.”