A special exhibition based on Hitsuji Bungaku’s latest album “12 Hugs (Like Butterflies)” opens today

A special exhibition themed around Hitsuji Bungaku’s latest album, 12 hugs (like butterflies), entitled “The Secret Garden” inspired by Hitsuji Bungaku – 12 hugs (like butterflies) opened today, May 30th (Thursday), at the New Gallery in Jimbocho, Tokyo.

This exhibition is an exhibition space where haru. (HUG), who was in charge of the artwork for the album “12 hugs (like butterflies)” released last December, reinterprets the songs while following the self-written liner notes he received from Shiotsuka Moeka of Hitsuji Bungaku, and expresses the worldview of the album together with artists active in various fields. In this space, the ever-changing band itself is defined as the “garden” and the creators and staff who cultivate it as the “gardeners,” various gardeners including haru., Nico Perez, Ava, finaleflwr, Christopher Loden, konomad, Alexander Julian, and DODI™ create the “secret garden.”

For this exhibition, artworks created with the song as a motif and photographs such as Hitsuji Bungaku’s original hand prints taken by photographer Nico Perez will be on sale for the first time. In addition, original goods such as jumpsuits and multi-purpose cloths, also created with the song as a motif, will also be on sale. This is a rare opportunity to get both the artworks and the goods only at this exhibition.

Please note that admission to this exhibition requires a reservation in advance for a specific date and time. For details,New Gallery Official Site,ore+ purchase pagePlease check here.

[“Secret Garden” inspired by Hitsuji Bungaku – 12 hugs (like butterflies) statement]

“Secret Garden”

When I first met Moeka about seven years ago, I was very late to our appointment.
When I was still new to Tokyo, she chose me as a conversation partner for an interview with some media outlet. I don’t remember much about that time, but I remember her big sad eyes. She told me recently that when she saw me looking confident despite being late (the worst), she “felt like this was okay.”

Later, he became involved in the production of artwork and other works, and for his first design, “To the Young People” (2018), he chose a cover image that makes you want to peer into the future as reflected in Moeka’s eyes.
I only interact with the members during the production period, and we don’t talk much about our private lives, but because there is no compromise or lies in music, I feel that when I listen to their songs, I can grasp what is important to them now. We worked together on the production of “Our Hope” (2022) and “12 Hugs (Like Butterflies)” (2023), and we slowly built a relationship of trust.

The “Secret Garden” is an exhibition space where we, HUG, have reinterpreted the music and worldview of “12 hugs (like butterflies).”
In this space, where the ever-changing band itself is defined as the “garden” and the creators and staff who cultivate it as the “gardeners,” we wanted to cherish the space for dreaming that exists during the process of creating a work.

The key visual for the exhibition is a cyanotype print of a butterfly-shaped hinge that connects the door to creativity. The expression “drawing a blueprint” is sometimes used to mean planning for an unseen future, but this exhibition was like dismantling the image of Hitsuji Bungaku that was forming within me. By deliberately leaving the outline vague, it can surely transform into anything.

I hope that Hitsuji Bungaku, which has a wealth of potential, and that each and every member will continue to freely explore new ways of expression.

Creative Director
haru. (HUG)

【event information】

“The Secret Garden” inspired by Hitsuji Bungaku – 12 Hugs (like Butterflies)
Dates: Thursday, May 30th – Sunday, June 23rd, 2024 12:00-20:00*
Venue: New Gallery, Jinbocho, Tokyo
Admission fee: ¥1,000

Organized by: New Gallery
Cooperation: Next Generation Co., Ltd. / FCLS
Exhibition direction: HUG
Planning support: CON_
Design: Tetsuya Okiyama
Exhibition construction: DODI™ / Alexander Julien

*Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.

*Advance reservations required
*Free admission for preschool children under 6 years old
*This exhibition requires designated admission time and you must present an electronic ticket on your smartphone to enter.
*Available entry time = within 1 hour of the listed entry time. Please come within the available entry time (e.g. 12:00-13:00).
*If you are late, you will only be able to enter on the day, but you may have to wait depending on how busy the venue is.
*Ticket changes, refunds, reissues and resales are not permitted.

■Exhibition details