BAPE GALLERY Shanghai Highlights Sustainability with New Exhibition by Tomotatsu Gima

Summary

• The BAPE GALLERY in Shanghai is hosting a solo exhibition by artist Tomotatsu Gima
• Gima’s art, including a cardboard BAPE STA, explores sustainability through upcycled collages
• The exhibition blends Chinese elements with BAPE’s streetwear aesthetic

BAPE GALLERY Shanghai is currently hosting a compelling art-meets-streetwear exhibition featuring the solo work of Okinawa-based artist Tomotatsu Gima. Gima, renowned for his upcycled cardboard collages, presents a visionary exploration of sustainability and environmental consciousness.

Through his signature “upcycled creation” technique, Gima skillfully fuses traditional Chinese elements with BAPE’s iconic streetwear visuals, offering a transcendent cultural and artistic experience. Notable pieces include a cardboard BAPE STA sneaker, a live-created duct tape camo APE HEAD, and a massive collage incorporating Alipay, WeChat, and traditional Chinese motifs.

Each artwork embodies a cross-cultural dialogue that transcends time and borders, from the philosophical duality of yin and yang to the symbolic harmony of dragons and phoenixes. This convergence of streetwear and art highlights the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all things.

Influenced by Japanese and American cartoons and pop art, Tomotatsu Gima creates collages of logos and color prints on corrugated cardboard boxes, a style he terms POP COLLAGE. Discarded cardboard boxes serve as his artistic medium, with all generated waste being recycled, aiming to raise the discussion of the meanings of “distribution” and “consumption.”

The Tomotatsu Gima Solo Exhibition runs until November 2 at BAPE GALLERY Shanghai.

BAPE GALLERY Shanghai
6-101, Gate M Dream Center,
2266 Longteng Avenue,
Xuhui District,
Shanghai

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast