art bit #5 Main Artwork: Shinobu Shishikura, “Children’s Garden” Photography: Junji Kumano / Pixel Art: deadlyyucca / Design: UMMM
An exhibition titled “art bit – Contemporary Art & Indie Game Culture – #5” (hereinafter referred to as “art bit #5”) will explore the mutual appeal between contemporary art and indie games. The exhibition will take place at Hotel Anterum Kyoto, a venue that showcases the ever-evolving art and culture of Kyoto, starting from Saturday, June 21, 2025.
Additionally, starting on the same day, a “Pixel Art Room” curated by pixel artist deadlyyucca will be featured. Reservations will begin on May 31.
[Event Overview]
Dates: June 21 (Sat) – August 23 (Sat), 2024, 10:00-20:00
Venue: Hotel Anteroom Kyoto l GALLERY9.5
Admission: Free
Reception and talk session: June 21 (Sat), 2025, 19:30
Work: Shishikura Shinobu “Children’s Garden”
Photography: Kumano Junji / Pixel Art: deadlyyucca / Design: UMMM
■About the “art bit – Contemporary Art & Indie Game Culture – #5” Exhibition
“art bit” was born out of an encounter with ‘BitSummit,’ Japan’s largest indie game festival, which has been held since 2013. This event focuses on the mirror-like appeal and creative roots of contemporary art’s ‘game-like qualities’ and indie games’ ‘artistic qualities,’ exploring new possibilities for art and games through interactions that transcend cultural boundaries and the roles of artists, creators, and researchers.
This year, the fifth edition, is themed “Phantom Game Center: Astral Playground,” exploring the intersection between the playful performance art tradition inspired by composer John Cage and the contemporary physical ritual space of the game center. The event will celebrate the fusion of games and art through “body and performance.”
For this “art bit #5,” the core participating artists include Takuya Matsumi (contact Gonzo), Kazuki Takakura, Daisuke Nishijima, Eiko Yoshizumi, and Futsura, all of whom are artists nurtured by the ars●bit project. With the support of the “Fund for Strengthening the Foundation of Cultural and Artistic Activities” (*), we will provide production and exhibition support with an eye toward overseas expansion, proposing a prototype of “game centers as art” that will communicate a new form of artistic movement both domestically and internationally.
In addition, on June 21 (Sat) and 22 (Sun), we will hold a talk session and a trial play session and workshop for experiential works as an opening event.
(*) The “Cultural Arts and Culture Infrastructure Strengthening Fund” is a newly established fund under the Japan Arts Council, an independent administrative agency, with the aim of providing flexible and multi-year support for the cultivation of creators and artists who will lead the next generation, as well as for the enhancement of next-generation functions of cultural facilities that serve as venues for their activities and dissemination.
Exhibition Overview
Title: art bit – Contemporary Art & Indie Game Culture – #5
Dates: June 21 (Sat) – August 23 (Sat), 2025, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Venue: Hotel Anterum Kyoto GALLERY 9.5
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.uds-hotels.com/anteroom/kyoto/news/
【Participating Artists & Works】
contact Gonzo《Fortune Assholer》
Takakura Kazuki《Hyper Shrine art bit Edition (tentative)》
Nishijima Daisuke《SPACE INVADIANS: PHANTOM PASSWORD》
Shibata Kazuhide《Music Othello》
Yuu Tsukina 《in a slumber – Skin Tires》
Nirgiri 《How to Make Peace with the City》《Fine Festival Altar》
Kazunari Yonemitsu 《Memory Exchange Ritual》《Journaling of the Dead》
Yutaka Oiwa 《Card Game》
Shinobu Shishikura “Children’s Garden”
Takashi Onami “GAME AUDIO SCAPER – Prototype”
Costantino Oliva “Night Parade of 100 Demons”
Eiko Yoshizumi “Les Hommes du Désert: Sand Castle”
Futsura “Culture House”
Jikudramus “Same Game, Different Music, Different Version” and others
Adam Pype《No Players Online》
Everything Unlimited Ltd.《The Beginner’s Guide》
Michael Samyn & Auriea Harvey (Tale of Tales)《Bientôt l’été》
Nathalie Lawhead《individualism in the dead-internet age: an anti-big tech asset flip shovelware r̶a̶n̶t̶ manifesto》
Nosebleed Interactive《Arcade Paradise》
Playables in collaboration with Panic《Time Flies》
Sony Interactive Entertainment《Bound》
yona《DareKare》
【Curation】
Yasuyuki Toyokawa
Daichi Nakagawa
Masahiko Murakami
Iwai Kasai
Organizers
Hotel Anterum Kyoto
Skeleton Crew Studio Co., Ltd.
Shibuya Asobiba Production Committee
Partners
BITSUMMIT
STYLY Co., Ltd.
Kyoto Computer Academy
Ritsumeikan University College of Media and Communication
Support
■Opening Event: “Phantom Game Center is Coming!”
To mark the opening of the exhibition, we will hold an event titled “Phantom Game Center is Coming!” on June 21 and 22, featuring talk sessions with participating artists and researchers in related fields, trial play sessions, workshops, and a reception.
Centered around the hotel restaurant, the “Phantom Game Center” will appear, offering free access to immersive and participatory works, including analog game-style pieces from art bit #5, to kick off the two-month exhibition period.
Schedule:
Saturday, June 21, 2025, 1:00 PM
Admission: Free
Details:
1:00 PM Doors open
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM Talk Session
Yutaka Oiwa × Nilgiri × Shinji Matsunaga × Fumiko Shida × Kazunari Yonemitsu
3:45 PM – 6:00 PM: Game Trials & Workshops
Kazunari Yonemitsu: “Memory Exchange Ritual,” “Journaling of the Dead”
Yutaka Oiwa: “Card Game”
Nirgiri: “How to Make Peace with the City”
Hikaru Yoshizumi: “Les Hommes du Désert: Sand Castle Apple Vision Pro Edition”
and others
7:00 p.m. art bit#5 Opening Reception
*After the reception, you can try out and experience the works in the bar lounge.
June 22 (Sun) 1:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Details:
1:00 p.m. Doors open
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Talk session
Yutaka Oiwa × Kazuki Takakura × Nilgiri × Eiko Yoshizumi × Kazunari Yonemitsu
3:45 PM – 6:00 PM Play sessions and workshops
Kazunari Yonemitsu 《Memory Exchange Ritual》《Journaling of the Dead》
Yutaka Oiwa 《Card Game》
Nilgiri 《How to Make Peace with the City》
Kazuki Takakura “Hyper Shrine art bit version (tentative)”
Hideo Yoshizumi “Les Hommes du Désert: Sand Castle Apple Vision Pro version”
and others
*Individual participation in specific sessions such as the talk session or demo session/workshop is also possible.
■About “Pixel Art Room”
“Pixel Art Room” was created in 2024 with the participation of five artists.
This space features artists from diverse fields such as filmmaking, design, music, and game creation, who are exploring new forms of expression inspired by pixel art—the dot art of video games. A new concept room by “deadlyyucca” will be added to the existing “Pixel Art Room.”
deadlyyucca
ピPixel Artist / Game Developer. Specializes in low-spec pixel art reminiscent of retro computer screens and recreating the blurring effect of CRT monitors. Enjoys movies and delicious food.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deadlyyucca/
*Room images are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual display.
【“deadlyyucca Pixel Art Room” Overview】
Room Type: Single Room (1 guest)
Price: 5,000 yen and up
Available Period: June 21, 2025 (Sat) to May 31, 2026 (Sat) Check-out
Check-in Time: 3:00 PM
Check-out time: 11:00 AM
※Prices are subject to change depending on the season.
※For detailed information on prices and reservations, please visit the hotel’s official website.
■Reservations
Reservations can be made by phone starting at 12:00 PM on May 31, 2025.
Hotel Anterum Kyoto
Main Number: 075-681-5656
【Cancellation Policy】
No-show: 100% of the accommodation fee
On the day of arrival: 80% of the accommodation fee
One day prior: 50% of the accommodation fee
Three days prior: 20% of the accommodation fee
【About Hotel Anterum Kyoto】
Converted from a 23-year-old student dormitory and opened in April 2011, Hotel Anterum Kyoto is a unique hotel that combines art and hospitality. Under the theme of “365 Days of Art Fair,” the hotel features concept rooms designed by over nine artists, including Kohei Nawa and Mika Ninagawa, as well as events collaborated with artists. In 2020, Hotel Anterum opened in Naha and Seoul.
This facility is part of UDS Hotels, which is planned, designed, and operated by UDS, a company that plans, designs, and operates projects related to urban development both domestically and internationally.
601-8044 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Minami Ward, Higashikujō Akechō 7-ban
<Inquiries>
Hotel Anterum Kyoto
TEL: 075-681-5656
Contact: Toyokawa (Planning)
Email: info@hotel-anteroom.com