Having fun inside of kozyndan’s custom vinyl mural, Heat Run Samadhi. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.
Since 2007, JANM has partnered with Giant Robot founder Eric Nakamura to produce the Giant Robot Biennale, a recurring art exhibition dedicated to showcasing the diverse creative works brought together under the ethos of the popular brand. The latest edition, Giant Robot Biennale 4, examines the evolution of the Giant Robot aesthetic from its humble origins in drawing to its many celebrated manifestations in painting, installation, muralism, and photography.
This past Saturday night, GRB4 had its grand opening celebration. More than 2,000 guests gathered at the museum for a lively evening of art, music, food, and crafts. Enjoy the photos that follow!
Certificates of appreciation were given to curator Eric Nakamura and each of the GRB4 artists by Danielle Brazell of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. Photo by Steve Fujimoto.Danielle Brazell of the Department of Cultural Affairs, right, presents curator Eric Nakamura with his certificate of appreciation. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.More than 2,000 people attended the opening night festivities. Photo by Richard Murakami.A popular activity of the evening was custom finishing a button using designs started by GRB4 artists. Photo by Ben Furuta.A family makes buttons together. Photo by Ben Furuta.Excited guests line up to have their designs pressed into buttons. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Artist Audrey Kawasaki poses in front of her artwork. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Dublab spins some tunes to keep the party going. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Tasty bites were provided by Mama Musubi. Photo by Richard Murakami.Cafe Dulce also got in the spirit with special Giant Robot x JANM donuts. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Nerdbot’s Photo Booth brought out the flair in everyone. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Eric Nakamura, right, and a few of the artists admire kozyndan’s mural. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Kozue and Dan Kitchens, aka kozyndan, pose in front of their work.
Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.People couldn’t get enough of kozyndan’s mural! Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.A guest tries his hand at drawing inside a replica of artist Edwin Ushiro’s studio. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Curator Eric Nakamura, left, and artist Mike Lee check on a few last-minute details in the replica Giant Robot store. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Artist Mari Inukai in front of her painting. Photo by Richard Murakami.Ray Potes of Hamburger Eyes poses in front of the collective’s installation. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Katsuya Terada wows onlookers with his live drawing skills. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.A crowd gathers to watch electronic musician Daedalus. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Daedalus in action. Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.No opening at JANM is complete without a visit from the reigning Nisei Week Court! Photo by Nobuyuki Okada.Curator Eric Nakamura, JANM President and CEO Greg Kimura, and artist Esao Andrews. Photo by Steve Fujimoto.
