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Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
Announces Launch Of “Art x Entertainment” Project
Inaugural Solo Exhibition
SHIGETO KOYAMA
CCMS experiment OBAKE
November 9 – November 22, 2023
Opening Reception:
Thursday, November 9, 6–8pm
Click here for RSVP
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. (SMEJ) has announced the launch of their new “Art × Entertainment” project, which aims to expand the appreciation of art in previously unexplored directions, honor unique talents, and create a platform for the artistic essences of key contemporary artists. Through this project, SMEJ aims to cultivate an environment where art can thrive and explore uncharted territories, resulting in a vibrant intersection of art and entertainment. The inaugural exhibition, entitled "SHIGETO KOYAMA CCMS experiment OBAKE," will be held in New York City at NowHere (40 Wooster Street, First Floor) from November 9th to November 22nd, 2023.
In a rare, intimate opportunity, the renowned Koyama (HEROMAN, Rebuild of Evangelion, Kill la Kill, Gundam Reconguista in G, and Promare) will present a range of work from his critically acclaimed animated projects and expound on the creative processes at their genesis, though to him this is, “Not an ‘exhibition’ but an ‘experiment.’” Through this experiment, SMEJ aims to convey new frontiers of anime to a wider audience, free from the constraints of the traditional boundaries of contemporary art. The goal is to bring new perspectives and value to the realm of "anime."
Mr. Koyama’s impressive creative scope includes character design for anime, manga, games, and figures. His contributions span various roles, such as concept, color design, and art direction. Simultaneously, his creations transcend the boundaries of animation and offer insights into the values of art and design. Mr. Koyama's artistic approach to animation showcases that anime is not merely entertainment or limited to children's media, but a world of art unto itself.
“This exhibition is not meant to showcase my individual achievements; instead, it’s an experimental endeavor to showcase the collective collaborations with various creative talents.” - Shigeto Koyama
The exhibition begins with an emphasis on Mr. Koyama's distinctive multidisciplinary roles to provide a deeper understanding of animated works as "mass-produced products born from collaborative efforts,” underscoring the unique humanity involved in its creation. Mr. Koyama explains, “I would like to showcase various facets of the role of a ‘designer’ in animation. I hope to convey the more intriguing aspects of ‘animation production’ and ‘design’ in a comprehensible manner.”
CCMS, Mr. Koyama’s creative unit elevates their anime through creative thinking and expression. The latter half sheds light on this collective, allowing visitors to savor their innovative thinking and methods. “The best way to describe the works of CCMS would be… ‘incomprehensible,’” he says. “Since I cannot find the word to describe our work, it’d probably be faster for you to see it to understand.” Through this experiment, we aspire to share the allure of animation and its new value with a broader audience, but also to expand the realm of its expression and possibilities.
Mr. Koyama will also host a pair of talks at the gallery. The first will be on Saturday, November 11, from 2pm to 4pm EST and will be free. The second will be ticketed, and held on Monday, November 20, from 6pm to 8pm EST. More information can be found here.
Hi-res version here
ABOUT
CCMS
CCMS is a group of creators formed in 2010. The members are Shigeto Koyama, Tsuyoshi Kusano and Ai Nonaka. The three, known as professionals in animation and design, began producing original works through a series of zines called "dojinshi," which are derivative works of their original creations. In 2015, their short animation work "Obake-chan" was shown at the "Japan Anima (tor) 's Exhibition," and now they produce not only books but also merchandising goods, products. In addition to CCMS's own works, they sometimes collaborate with other artists in production, art direction, and creating illustration books and products.
CCMS has a solid underground and experimental character. Since 2021, the group has opened an e-commerce site called "SHOP CCMS" to sell original products produced in limited quantities.
Shigeto Koyama (Designer)
Shigeto Koyama was born in Tokyo in 1975. Koyama participated in "Aim for the Top2! DIEBUSTER" in 2004 and, since then, has worked on many animation projects. In addition to character design, he has also worked on mechanical design for animations. He is currently involved in design, art direction, color control, etc., for many projects in addition to animation works.
Works in which he has participated include:
"HEROMAN"
"STAR DRIVER"
"Psalms of Planets Eureka seven"
"GURREN LAGANN"
"Rebuild of Evangelion"
"Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt"
"Kill la Kill"
“Gundam Reconguista in G”
"BIG HERO 6"
"Promare"
etc.
At CCMS, Koyama is in charge of illustration and direction.
Tsuyoshi Kusano (Graphic Designer)
After working for ASCII Corporation, Kusano established the Tsuyoshi Kusano Design Office in 2003. He has been involved in art direction in various fields, from animation, manga, and light novels to corporate identity, fashion, and art exhibitions. He is also a part-time lecturer at Musashino Art University's College of Art and Design’s Design Informatics Department and Chuo University's Faculty of Global Informatics. Since 2015, he has also served as a board member of the JMAG (Japanese Association of Manga, Anime, Game Creators) Creators Association.
Works in which he has participated include:
"BLEACH"
"Fullmetal Alchemist”
"THE IDOL M@STER"
"Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World"
BEAMS-T
MANGA City TOKYO Exhibition
etc.
At CCMS, Kusano is mainly in charge of design and direction.
Ai Nonaka (Art Director)
Nonaka studied editing and producing at Club King Inc. and joined Tsuyoshi Kusano Design Office in 2005. She has worked as an animation and two-dimensional content designer and is currently active mainly in art and content direction.
Works in which she has participated include:
“Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn”
“WORKING!!”
“A Channel”
“Berserk: The Golden Age Arc”
“Sword Art Online”
“Blast of Tempest”
“Space Patrol Luluco”
etc.
At CCMS, Nonaka is mainly in charge of editing and management.
"Obake-chan"
"Obake-chan" is CCMS' first original work. Tsuyoshi Kusano wrote the story, and Shigeto Koyama drew the illustration for this picture book for adults. Three titles have been distributed as doujinshi at the Comic Market. "Obake-chan" was first published in 2012, followed by the second title, "Obake-chan desu," and the third title, "Obake-chan.” In 2015, Shigeto Koyama directed and produced a short animation, "Obake-chan," for the short animation distribution project "Japan Anima (tor) 's Exhibition," presented by khara, Inc., and Dwango.
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), or SMEJ, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and holds all shares and serves as headquarters for the management and administration of all Sony Music Group (Japan) subsidiaries. Operations include marketing and tie-ins, finding and developing artists, various entertainers and creators, building our businesses abroad, as well as creating new opportunities in the entertainment business for digital content, live entertainment, music streaming, and sports entertainment.
Sony Music Group Corporate Site (sme.co.jp)
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For more information:
David Elkin, david@girlieaction.com
Grant Pavol, grant@girlieaction.com
