Roppongi’s street art museum where contemporary art becomes one with natural light and shadow

Roppongi is a city with many spots allowing you to have exposure to art, such as The National Art Center, ‘Mori Art Museum’ in Roppongi Hills and ’21_21 DESIGN SIGHT’ in Tokyo Midtown. The cityscape is also added color by art. This time, we’re going to introduce “Roppongi Tunnel” where you can come across contemporary artworks while strolling around the city.

The art spot “Roppongi Tunnel” was born when the former Tokyo’s governor started ‘Street Painting Project’ -artists paint on walls of roads or parks managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government instead of canvas. Unique artworks drawn on the wall are breathing new life into space that used to be simple and empty.

There are 5 artworks: ‘Zipper (ジッパー)’ by Jun Kitagawa and ‘ROPPONGI SEASIDE TUNNEL’ by Toru Kuwakubo, ‘Yugata no e (夕方の絵, painting of sunset)’ by Chikara Matsumoto, ‘Tokyo Hakkei (東京八景, Tokyo’s eight scenery)’ by Daisuke Samejima and ‘Sabaku no naka no Hibiscus (砂漠の中のハイビスカス, Hibiscus in the dessert)’ by Yo Masajun. Each of them has parts showing an artist’s playfulness that can be discovered by looking closely. Each of them has parts showing an artist’s playfulness that can be discovered by getting close and look different from the inside and outside of the tunnel, in other words, they are like optical illusion trick. It’s also interesting that artworks’ impression change depending on the time because shadows of pillars and people and sunlight become one with them.