behind every great thing…

At times, it can be by chance. Sometimes, it is unintentional. More often than not, there is great intention. Sometimes, even, a little bit more than chance – maybe a lot more – lies behind every great thing…

Within this exhibition, we’ve utilized a few favored manga, anime shows and films for our medium (full disclosure, this medium will be common). Using this medium, we’ve curated stills portraying the anime’s protagonist or antagonist in an assumed working position. The curation was heavily inspired by the popular ‘Lofi Girl’ YouTube channel and music label, formerly known as ‘ChilledCow’ (https://chilledcow.com). A prominent, recurring figure in their visuals is their Lofi Girl. Headphones on, sitting at her desk, viewers often watch as she writes and flips through pages while lofi tunes play overhead. We’ve attempted to draw parallels between this energy and imagery to the stills we’ve curated for your viewing pleasure. Shizuku, from Studio Ghibli’s ‘Whisper of the Heart’, is another recurring figure in a few of the showcased exhibits. This is due in part to her title as the original Lofi Girl, and her exceptional, noteworthy journey to complete her first book. Studio Ghibli is renowned for its “life imitates art” approach to telling stories and animating its characters. This makes it all the more compelling to place oneself in Shizuku’s story while applying the message to one's own goals.

Investing great time and energy into something you want is an incredible feat. Despite the promise of fulfillment, the journey can be daunting and even scary. For many of us, there are points in our lives where we yearn for something, but at the thought of failure, shy away from the effort needed to reach that thing. However, when faced with the notion of failure, one should concentrate and hold on to their effort even more. In the words of Hikigaya,

“Effort will never betray you. Though it may betray your dreams. Your dreams might not come true even if you work for them. But if you put effort into it, it’ll console you.”

(My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU)

We all know the saying, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” It sounds good, but what happens after you take the shot, and the outcome doesn’t meet your expectation? In regard to basketball, we wager that the answer is found in the action that takes place after the shot – the rebound. In getting your rebound, you subsequently give yourself another possession, or another shot. With this possession, you may decide a different route or run the same play. Regardless of the next move you make, you’ve given yourself the opportunity to keep going. An opportunity created not just by the effort to take the shot but also to get the rebound. Our guy Akagi said it best,

 “He who controls the rebound controls the game.”

(Slam Dunk)

In no way are these exhibits intended to promote bad habits or over working oneself. We don’t want you skipping sleep, closing yourself off, or missing meals to complete a task. This is all to inspire. Inspire those who have an idea, a task, to take the first step. To reach those who have taken the first step but haven’t yet crossed the finish line. This is also meant to comfort those who are in the middle of the process, and to remind them that they are not alone.

Life itself is a task, and just waking up can be a challenge. No matter what it is, what you are taking on, or whether it’s deemed big or small…we hope this encourages you to keep going.  

best of luck, modest saki 

behind every great thing…