Fish and art are a great match, as seen in limited-time-only displays such as the cherry blossom digital art event by Naked, which takes place at Shinagawa’s Maxwell Aquarium every spring.

The popularity of such aquatic events have led to the opening of a brand new ‘Art Aquarium Museum’, which will combine the natural wonders of the deep with lights and sounds to create fully immersive art. It’s the first permanent exhibition for Art Aquarium Museum, and with the rise of Instagrammable art installations in Japan such as teamLab’s various projection mapping creations, this new spot opening in Tokyo could be the next big hit for social media snappers.

The aquarium has various sections depicting different aspects of the overall concept. The aquarium’s overarching theme is a modern-day ‘Hanamachi’. This was the name given to the pleasure quarters, or red light districts, of Japan's capital during the Edo period.

The area that expresses this theme the most is ‘Transitoriness’, which capturers the ephemeral and glamorous aesthetic of life in the Hanamachi through artworks inspired by the stories of the oirans, the courtesans of the time period.

The ‘Mystery’ section was created as a surreal world ‘beyond human wisdom’ with mysterious installations.

There’s also an area for ‘Traditional Art’ where visitors can even see traditional Japanese performances.

The Art Aquarium website has an in depth facility guide and explanations about the various artworks you can expect.

The opening date (which is still to be confirmed) is slated as 28th August 2020 and the museum will be located in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.


By - Jess.