“Konjaku-AR Doubutsu Shakkei(Borrowed Scenery of Animals from Past and Present)” is a project that mainly uses AR (Augmented Reality) experiences on smartphones. Set at Chiba Zoo, the project uses XR technology to exhibit animals thought to have lived in the past and imaginary creatures. For this exhibition, the artist will create special cards featuring imaginary animals depicted in ancient paintings and extinct animals.

Utilizing digital data from the collection of the Chiba City Museum of Art, visitors use their smartphones to read cards of “invisible animals” that are usually unseen, phantom beasts depicted in ukiyoe prints from the Edo period. The animals then appear on the display, creating an experience that makes visitors feel as if they exist in the real world. Chiba Zoological Park’s Animal Science Museum currently exhibits endangered species, and this project will link up with this existing exhibit to provide an opportunity to think about life in the past, present, and future. This project connects past and present, imagination and reality, allowing visitors to experience the diversity of life and the potential of art from a new perspective. Utilizing Chiba City’s cultural assets, the project aims to combine historical art materials, animal exhibits, and the latest digital technology. [Types of citizen involvement] Workshop, Exhibition viewing