Surround yourself with the rhythmic heartbeat of kumidaiko (ensemble drumming with Japanese drums) and the uncanny world of Tabaimo. Inspired by the surreal, room-sized animations by the Japanese artist, the acclaimed ensemble San Jose Taiko will improvise and experiment with sound in in the galleries (7 PM). Tabaimo’s room-sized animated installations incorporate the colors of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, influences from manga and anime, music, and even sound effects from video games. Plus, L.A.-based pop culture gallery Giant Robot brings its game night to SJMA. See and play video games by local indie game developers Nick Crockett and Wyatt Sanders. Galleries, activities, and café are open from 5 to 8 PM. $5 after 5 PM (free for members.
San Jose Taiko performs the art form of kumidaiko, ensemble drumming with Japanese drums. SJT synthesizes the traditional rhythms of Japanese drumming with the beat of world rhythms. The resulting sounds are contemporary, exciting, new and innovative, bridging many styles, while still resonating the Asian soul in America. Giant Robot is often cited as the birthplace for Asian Pop Culture products and Uglydolls. Founded in 1994, it was initially created as a small, punk-minded magazine that featured Asian pop culture and Asian American alternative culture, including subject matter such as history, art, music, film, books, toys, technology and more. Currently, Giant Robot operates a shop and gallery (GR2 Gallery) in Los Angeles. Giant Robot Store, established in 2001, features products from around the world, such as fun house wares, gifts, stationeries, t-shirts, comics, plush and toy figures.
Tabaimo: Her Room, on view through August 21, 2016, is the first major museum exhibition in the United States devoted to the work of world-renowned Japanese artist Tabaimo. Using computer animation technology and thousands of drawings, Tabaimo creates animated installations that dissolve the ordinary, material world and blur the distinction between reality and make-believe. Her animations explore the surreal and uncanny aspects of life in contemporary Japanese society. Tabaimo’s animations draw inspiration from traditional 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) and bunraku(puppet theater) as well as contemporary Japanese comics (manga) and animation (anime). She incorporates sound that ranges from her own guitar compositions to video game sounds. The exhibition showcases three of the artist’s encompassing video animations, which are projected onto walls that curve and tumble into space as well as a selection of related drawings. All works featured were inspired by the novel Akunin (Villain), (2007), a psychological thriller by author Shuichi Yoshida set in contemporary Japan.