“The Big in Japan weekend”, that will be kicking off on Thursday 25th of October, will host engaging performances, film screenings, workshops and more, which is all inspired by Louvre Abu Dhabi’s International Exhibition Japanese Connections: The Birth of Modern Décor 

Starting on Thursday 25th and running until Saturday 27th of October, the weekend will present two nights of performances by Japanese Turntable Symphonograph Orchestra- reconstructing classical music by spinning vinyl records, using turntables and mixers as their instruments of choice.  

On Friday 26th, Award-winning Emirati spoken-word artist Afra Atiq, will perform a new poem inspired by the contrasting colours of the artworks within the Japanese Connections exhibition space. On the same day, the first film of the Anime film screenings is Emara; a web video series featuring the titular superheroine fighting crime in the UAE, followed by a discussion with Hind Mezaina and Maryam Al Atouly. Maryam will also host a three-hour Master Class at the Manga Lab on how to write Manga. 

Spoken Word poet Afra Atiq.

Whereas Saturday will see the continuation of the Anime film screenings with Big Hero 6; an action-packed comedy-adventure about the special bond that develops between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable robot, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya; a story of a bamboo cutter who finds a miniature girl and takes her home to his wife so they can bring her up as their daughter. 

Big Hero 6, Don Hall, Chris Williams, 2014.

Visitors will also get to see the final touches being placed on a large-scale three panel mural, co-created by Dubai-based artist Marwan Shakarchi (Myneandyours), who is known for his cloud doodles around the city, as well as students from the Aisha Bint Abi Bakr School and the American Community School in Abu Dhabi. The artwork, inspired by Japanese Manga and wood printing from the Japanese Connections exhibition, is part of the “ARTogether: School Street Art Project with Myneandyours”, which will be completed during the Big in Japan weekend.  

EMARA, Fatima Al Muheiri, 2018

All of the spoken-word performance, film screenings and the ARTogether project are free with the museum’s admission ticket. The Turntable Symphonograph Orchestra is a ticketed event, which can be booked online.   

Japanese Connections: The Birth of Modern Décor exhibition showcases 19th and 20th century paintings, prints and folding screens that highlight the artistic and cultural dialogue between Japan and France, and the important influence of the colourful ukiyo-e aesthetics on French modern decor. 

For further information or tickets please visit www.louvreabudhabi.ae