Join us for an engaging lecture by Sebastian Masuda as he explores the concept and philosophy of "kawaii". The renowned Japanese artist, known as "The King of Kawaii," will conduct an open lecture for all interested parties, as well as workshops on Japanese pop culture.
Harajuku comes to Warsaw!
Asian Studies Student Research Club, at SWPS University’s Institute of Humanities, is pleased to invite all interested parties to attend a guest lecture by the Japanese artist and art director Sebastian Masuda, from Harajuku in Tokyo, where he's affectionately known as "The King of Kawaii."
The event aims to explain the essence of kawaii culture and show that it goes far beyond "Hello Kitty" and adorable manga characters; it embodies a philosophy of life, a unique lifestyle, fashion, and much more. Sebastian Masuda will navigate through the history of "kawaii" and shed light on the indispensable influence of Harajuku in shaping kawaii culture.
For nearly 30 years, Sebastian Masuda has been creating kawaii art in Tokyo's world-famous Harajuku district, where he opened his shop "6%Dokidoki" and a unique kawaii sushi restaurant, SushiDelic. Masuda's innovative contributions were recognized with the Grand Prix at the "CJPF Awards 2024" in Japan for his outstanding promotion of Japanese pop culture overseas. Since 1995, Masuda has consistently produced work that showcases his distinctive use of color and seamlessly crosses the boundaries between art, fashion and entertainment.
In addition to the lecture, he will also lead a workshop. All materials have been carefully selected by Sebastian Masuda and brought from his studio in Tokyo, Japan. Under his guidance, participants will learn how to design and create bags inspired by the "kawaii" aesthetic.
Sebastian Masuda has already lectured at the University of Warsaw and in Vilnius:
The event will be conducted in English.
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Japanese pop culture in the 21st century. "Kawaii" fashion and Harajuku subculture.
Sebastian Masuda
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Break
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Kawaii philosophy. Creating "kawaii" bags with guidance from Sebastian Masuda.
Sebastian Masuda
Guest Speaker
Sebastian Masuda
Japanese artist and art director, born in 1970, began working in the 90s in the worlds of theater and contemporary art. Since establishing Harajuku as his base of activities in 1995, he has consistently created works that utilize a unique sense of color and cross over into the worlds of art, fashion, and entertainment. Known as the leading figure of Japanese KAWAII culture, in 2011, he was the art director for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s music video PONPONPON, and in 2015, he produced the KAWAII MONSTER CAFÉ, both of which also helped introduce the world to kawaii culture. In 2014, he held his first solo exhibition in New York titled Colorful Rebellion – Seventh Nightmare –. In 2017, as the Japan Cultural Envoy, he traveled to the Netherlands, South Africa, Bolivia, Brazil, and throughout America, holding lectures, workshops, and creating various artworks. In 2017, he created the participatory art project TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE in 2014, unfolding at several locations throughout the world. Having experienced the fragmentation of the world during the pandemic, Masuda became deeply interested in the nature of community and began to advocate for the Digital Tribe, examining it through his own Kawaii community.
Organizer
Partner
Patron
- Embassy of Japan in Poland
Contact
Zuzanna Zielińska
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Date and Location
May 14, 2024, 12:00–16:15 CET (UTC +1)
SWPS University in Warsaw, Chodakowska 19/31, room S304 and S229