Creators of Culture: Yagi Exhibition Is Keeping Tokyo Gleaming
If you’ve been keeping up with this year’s ComplexCon, you’re assured to see plenty of new faces and learn just as many new brand and artist names.
Tokyo was under the spotlight this year, thanks to the efforts and contributions of the assigned director and artist Verdy. If there’s one thing you should take away from this year’s event, it’s Yagi Exhibition.
Based in Tokyo, Yagi Exhibition is the synonym for an all-star art collective. Founded by the drummer of the prolific rock band OKAMOTO’S Reiji Okamoto, this cutting-edge cultural phenomenon all started when it held its first event in November 2017 at WK Gallery.
Yagi Exhibition is widely respected in the street scene of Tokyo because it created a community for upcoming artists supported by other artists. Far from being elitist, Yagi Exhibition still remains privy to most as their popularity exploded very fast, preferring to keep their projects under control and uncluttered. It is to say Yagi Exhibition is one hell of a trailblazer: the founder Reiji Okamoto is known for his keen eye for talent, digging out the next sensations. In fact, the musician is not only cherished for his charisma but also for his skills and taste when it comes to organizing events like shows, parties, pop ups and, of course, exhibitions.
Good music, good art, and good style is the recipe behind Yagi Exhibition’s success. Closely associated members are the innovative designer and stylist IORI and his brand Dinoworks, artist and musician Jun Inagawa, and the uprising ill. The collective also collaborated with Kangol on nostalgic but casual animal-eared beanies, the trendsetting Moussy, and many other cultural beacons.
Their impact is meaningful, and Yagi Exhibition is keeping the city youthful and evergreen. This year marks their five year anniversary, but Yagi Exhibition is still revamping the culture scene one event at a time.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
