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Background illustration for Ghost in the Shell (1995), cut 477 Watercolour on paper and acrylic on transparent film 270 × 390mm Illustrator: Hiromasa Ogura Copyright: © 1995 Shirow Masamune / KODANSHA · BANDAI VISUAL · MANGA ENTERTAINMENT Ltd.

Media Release

For Immediate Release | May 10, 2018

Anime Architecture

The Japan Foundation, Sydney presents Anime Architecture, an exhibition that traces the architectural world-building process of Japan’s most influential animated science fiction films. Curated by Stefan Riekeles for Les Jardins des Pilotes, the exhibition casts a spotlight on meticulous hand-drawn backdrops that bring to life the fictitious urban environments of iconic cyberpunk anime. The show features original works from famous anime film productions, Patlabor: the Movie, Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, and Ghost in the Shell. The last of these films inspired the likes of the Steven Spielberg and James Cameron and was recently adapted into a live-action Hollywood film. Held at The Japan Foundation Gallery in Sydney’s Chippendale, the exhibition runs June 1 to August 11, 2018.

Anime Architecture will reveal the intricate creative process of Japanese animation, from location scouting documented in photos and concepts sketched in detailed pencil drawings, through to final expression as anime cells in full colour. Because studios only consider the final product as the crucial work, these in-progress materials are rarely shown outside of the studio. The exhibition includes works by Japanese animators Hiromasa Ogura, Takashi Watabe, Haruhiko Higami, Mamoru Oshii and Atsushi Takeuchi.

The exhibition will formally open at a reception on Friday, June 1 at 6pm.

A related event program will run alongside the exhibition and will be announced at a later date.

Gallery and reception admission is free; no bookings required.

ABOUT STEFAN RIEKELES

Stefan Riekeles is a curator based in Berlin. He has been the Artistic Director of the Japan Media Arts Festival Dortmund 2011, and curated the exhibition Proto Anime Cut. Previously he served as the Programme Director of the International Symposium on Electronic Art 2010 (ISEA2010 RUHR) and curated exhibitions for transmediale festival for art and digital culture Berlin among others. He holds an M.A. in Culture Studies and Audio Communication Science from the Humboldt University and the Technical University in Berlin.

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Venue

The Japan Foundation, Sydney
Level 4 (via lifts), Central Park
28 Broadway
Chippendale NSW 2008

Gallery Hours

Mon-Thu: 10am–8pm*
Fri: 10am–6pm
Sat: 10am–3pm

*Select weeknights close on 6pm: July 9 – 19, 2018
Closed on Sundays and public holidays (June 11; July 16 – Marine Day)

Admission

Gallery and reception is free.
Reception has limited capacity; first-come, first-served.

General Enquiries

(02) 8239 0055

Media Enquiries

Jessica Chow
(02) 8239 0055

Presented by

Exhibition developed by

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