2023 is the year when Unusual Art took flight. Looking back on the journey of HERALBONY and its artists [Unusual Communication #2]
Good evening. This is Marie, one of our staff members.
2023 is soon coming to an end...what kind of year has it been for you?
HERALBONY will be able to shine in many new ways in many different places in 2023. This is all thanks to all of you who always support us. Thank you so much.
Today, I would like to look back on 2023, focusing on just a few of these achievements: the achievements of some unique artists.
January: Unusual Day "I get goosebumps, I have to file my tax return"
On January 31, 2023, "Isai Day," an advertisement based on an actual story sent in by the family of an Isai artist, "I get goosebumps, there's a tax return," was released in four locations in Tokyo, including Kasumigaseki Station, which leads to the National Tax Agency, and Morioka Station. This advertisement won the Grand Prix at the 2023 63rd ACC TOKYO CREATIVITY AWARDS, one of Japan's largest creative awards.
We feel that this advertisement, and this award, was only made possible thanks to the accumulated experience over the past five years of history that everyone who has always supported HERALBONY, the artists and their families, and everyone at the welfare facility have shared with us.
March: Online store revamped and new key visuals released.
Along with the renewal of the online store, new key visuals were released. The models were keyboardist Kan Sano, who produced music for the sound project "lab.5 ROUTINE RECORDS" at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, model Chiba Yuka from Iwate Prefecture, and Iga Kan'o-do , a contracted artist with HERALBONY.
During the shoot, there was a session with Kan Sano on piano and Iga on cello. Iga looked so confident as a model that it was hard to believe it was her first time, and all the staff on set were filled with excitement. You can also watch the making-of video of the shoot.
Watch the video here
April: "HERALBONY TONE FROM MUSEUM ~Listening Museum~" begins
The podcast "HERALBONY TONE FROM MUSEUM" has started, inviting unique artists as guests. In a total of 22 episodes, 17 unique artists and their families have shared their unique ways of performing and stories.
From the artist's daily life to episodes about the process of creating art. By getting closer to the artist through this podcast, you may discover something new and be moved by the art. Don't miss the free-flowing storytelling that only an unusual artist can provide, which will make you chuckle.
The transcript is now available on the JOURNAL section of our online store . Please take a look.
May: "ART IN YOU" event held
The exhibition "ART IN YOU Art is Within You" was held at the Earth Garden in the East Building of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, which has been the venue for many noteworthy exhibitions up until now. The works of 16 artists stood out in the middle of the busy office district.
In addition, various unique artists, including Keisuke Mori , demonstrated their impressive art works in public. It was very impressive to see the artists, surrounded by many people, beaming with joy and proudly introducing their works.
July: Unique Thanksgiving Festival in Iwate (HOTEL MAZARIUM)
To express our appreciation for the 5th anniversary of the founding of Heralbony, we held a commemorative event entitled "Unconventional Thanksgiving", inviting unconventional artists to HOTEL MAZARIUM in Iwate.
As the hotel's name "Motherium" suggests, a wonderful space was created where staff, artists, their families, and viewers of the stream could "mix and mingle."
The event, both live and online, was a huge success, with not only talk events featuring unique artists, but also a raffle for prizes signed by the artists, and celebratory drumming and dance performances by the artists.
A unique department store in Tokyo (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi)
In Tokyo, "An Unusual Department Store" will be held at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, with the theme of "350th Anniversary of Mitsukoshi's Founding" and "5th Anniversary of Heralbony's Founding".
In the central hall of the historic Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store, a space was created where many people could experience something unique, with new items on sale, original artwork on display, and art piano performances. Nozomi Fujita's main visuals adorned the entire Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi main building, and in the public art production, Taisuke Kinugasa , marina , and others stood out beneath the statue of a heavenly maiden.
Be sure to also take a look at the episode, " The Behind the Scenes Story of the Production of 'Donki-chan.' "
October: Business partnership with JAL begins; unique artists' art in the sky
Through a business partnership with JAL, Isai's art will be in the sky and around the world. Isai's art will be adorning the sleeves of in-flight meals and the original pouches of in-flight amenities provided in first class and business class on international flights.
You can also see the unique artist, Sanae Sasaki , holding the actual products in her hands in this video .
December Roppongi POP UP begins
A pop-up will be held at Roppongi Hills with the theme of "ART IN HEART - Presenting memorable art." The main visual, art by Shishi Okabe from "Hoo! Hey!", will adorn the store and new products.
The pop-up will be held again in January 2024 with the theme "COLOR NEW YEAR - Wishing you a colorful year." Please come and visit us, experience the art and items that will brighten up the new year, and have a wonderful new year.
[Program appearance announcement] December 30th late night broadcast NHK "no art, no life"
Here's some exciting news!
Takaya Matsuda and Fumito Matsuda, both representatives of Heralbony, will appear on the special program "no art, no life" on NHK, which will be broadcast on December 31st from 1:15 am (late night on the 30th). Many popular artists, including Satoru Kobayashi and Sanae Sasaki, are scheduled to appear.
Together with the program narrator Yayako Uchida and singer-songwriter Takashi Nagatsumi (Hanaregumi), we will be taking our viewers into the deep world of art. We are honored to have this opportunity at the end of the year. Please sit back and relax as we watch.
2023 is about to come to an end. Thank you very much for your continued patronage of HERALBONY this year.
Each and every action from our customers - coming into contact with our art and products, sending us messages of support, and spreading the word to those around them - is truly a great source of strength to us.
All of our staff will continue to work hard to make HERALBONY even more outstanding in 2024, so we hope you will continue to support us next year.
I wish you all a happy new year.
