Artists from Japan and Melbourne create Pika Pika Panic!

YOUNG Japanese and Australian artists collaborate to create Pika Pika Panic! at Signal on the city’s Northbank.

Did you know Osaka, Japan, has been a sister city to Melbourne for the past 34 years?

You only need to head down to Signal Studio on Northbank where the Pika Pika Panic! digital art exhibition is on show till July 15.

The exhibition is the culmination of the hard work of young artists in Japan and Melbourne who came together earlier this year in a series of of collaborative digital workshops to explore the colour and chaos of cities.

The name of the exhibition, Pika Pika Panic! which translated loosely from Japanese, means “pretty flashing lights”, and takes inspiration from the hectic and colourful landscape in Japan.

The audiovisual screenings commence after dark – when the Signal building’s window facade, featuring iGlass technology, becomes a projection screen visible only at night.

Councillor Ken Ong, chair of the Future Melbourne Planning Committee said the project was a great way to creatively celebrate Melbourne’s relationship with its sister city in Japan, and “identify the similarities” between the two cities.

“The project is a vibrant, hands on and fun way to engage with digital art in a tactile way, develop new artistic skills and create wonderful pieces of art for Melbourne and Osaka,” he said.

“These young artists worked tirelessly on Pika Pika Panic!

“The screens at Signal art studio on Northbank will capture this vibrancy and energy in the works created.”