To commemorate the opening, CCBT welcomes the art group Maywa Denki for a special exhibition introducing the ingenuity and originality of its unique output that fuses artistic inspiration and technology. CCBT will transform into a Maywa Denki factory, hosting work-in-progress exhibits and workshops in the tech lab as well as sketches and prototypes from that creative process, and finished products.
CCBT “Art x Tech Lab”, a program for learning and practicing manufacturing with digital technology, will hold “Maywa Denki Shibuya Factory in CCBT” to commemorate its opening, introducing the creative process of Maywa Denki, a pioneer in media art.
Maywa Denki makes unique gadget art that we call “nonsense machines.” We harness these artistic resources by holding events (which we call “mass promotion”) like music concerts and exhibitions, and creating commercial products (“mass production”) like toys. Collectively, we call these two stands of activities “masspro art.” You could also call this a kind of media art that actively incorporates mass media.
The exhibits focus on the mass production part of our masspro art. From the appearance of the Na-Cord in 1995 to the Otamatone, we have proactively developed art products. The creative process behind these items is introduced in the form of concept sketches, prototypes, and toys that you can try for yourself. We have transformed the venue into the Maywa Denki factory, so you can see toys actually being made.
We hope you enjoy exploring Maywa Denki’s uniquely inventive and creative style!
Information
CCBT Opening Commemorative “Art x Tech Lab” Vol. 1: Maywa Denki Shibuya Factory in CCBT
Dates: November 26 (Sat) – December 25 (Sun), 2022
Hours: 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm Closed: Mondays
Organizers: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture
*For the related events, reservations are required (first-come-first-served basis); each session closes when capacity is reached.
Work in progress・Exhibitions
Admission Free
Dates: November 26 (Sat) – December 25 (Sun), 2022
Related Events
*Reservations required (first-come-first-served basis); each session closes when capacity is reached.
*Advance registration will be accepted until 12:30 pm on the day of the event; after 12:30 pm, please come directly to the venue.
Maywa Denki One Spark Talk Vol. 1: Where do artists make things?
Admission free Capacity: 60
Date: November 26 (Sat), 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Speakers: Tosa Novmichi (President, Maywa Denki), Hiroshi Inukai (CCBT Artist Fellow/Sports-play expert “Unlakuka”,esports producer, game director)
In what kinds of places do artists create their unique works?
Maywa Denki and CCBT artist fellow Inukai Hiroshi team up for an event showcasing the normally unseen creative process behind making artworks.
Workshop: “Making a GumBass” *Close
Fee: 2,500 yen Capacity: 12
Target: 3rd grade elementary school students and up
Date: November 26 (Sat) 11:00 am -12:30 pm
November 27 (Sun) 11:00 am -12:30 pm
In this workshop, participants try their hand at making a GumBass, the world’s smallest bass guitar. Featuring a built-in amp, the GumBass produces a rock-music sound when strummed.
Workshop “Making a Bone Bar” *Close
Fee: 2,500 yen Capacity: 12
Target: 3rd grade elementary school students and up
Date: December 24 (Sat) 11:00 am -12:30 pm
December 25 (Sun)11:00 am -12:30 pm
In this workshop, participants make the fun bone-shaped gadget Bone Bar, which you can control with a smartphone to make sounds. Play like a primitive human!
Mini Live Performance [8 sessions]
Free of charge Capacity: 60 per session
*After the performance, there will be an autograph session.
November 26 (Sat) ▶︎2:00 pm ▶︎5:00 pmNovember 27 (Sun) ▶︎2:00 pm ▶︎5:00 pm
December 24 (Sat) ▶︎2:00 pm ▶︎5:00 pm
December 25 (Sun) ▶︎2:00 pm ▶︎5:00 pm
Maywa Denki
The art unit produced by Novmichi Tosa.
While wearing blue working clothes, which is a typical style of small businesses that supported Japan’s high economic growth, they develop and introduce various nonsense machines all over the world in forms of concert and exhibition.
In 2003, it received the Semi Grand Prix Prize in the Interactive Art category at the Ars Electronica. Also they develop mass products such as a note shaped electronic musical instrument “Otamatone”.Otamatone has become a hit product, with cumulative sales exceeding one million units. In 2016, We held Exhibition in Mcam(Shanghai). in 2021. Currently, we are successfully holding “Maywa Denki Nonsense Machine Factory Exhibition” in Beijing (China) with all exhibits set up remotely. In 2022, we held “Maywa Denki Nonsense Factory Exhibition in Tsukuba” (Tsukuba Museum of Art, Ibaraki) . In 2023 debut 30th anniversary.
Message from Tosa Novmichi, President of Maya Denki
What the heck is CCBT? This is a question that’s still bouncing around inside my head. Reading the explanation, CCBT seems to be a kind of hub for media arts and digital creativity. But what’s media arts? And digital creativity? That’s hard to answer! I don’t know! I guess it’s a place for making something new by combining art and technology. OK, in which case, let’s try throwing everything we do at it. We’ll recreate the Maywa Denki factory in the venue and develop and make toys! That said, I don’t know if we’re allowed to set up a factory right in the middle of Shibuya! During the exhibition, we’ll hold live music concerts! But it’s gonna be pretty noisy! At any rate, we’ll do some crazy stuff to seek out CCBT’s potential. Please come along and see.
