A Japanese mural in Białystok

The realisation of the murals in Osaka and Białystok is also intended to exemplify the Polish people’s love for artistic expression, openness, and willingness to cooperate. The creation of the mural in Osaka was accompanied by a great deal of interest from local residents and the Japanese media.

A mural as an art form is a great medium because, unlike for example traditional painting, it is not confined within the walls of a gallery, it is accessible to everyone. The project in Osaka was incredibly important to me because it gave me the opportunity to get to know the residents of Konohana. I hope that more initiatives like this will be created in the future. I believe that Poland has many talented artists who can inspire and represent our country abroad – says Aleksandra Czudżak, artist and author of the mural in Osaka.

The implementation of the project was supported by the Wall Share inc. team, which works on popularising street art in Japan by acquiring building walls and inviting artists from all over the world to develop original projects. During the creation of the mural in Poland, Wall Share inc. enlisted the cooperation of the Polish company Ideamo, which is responsible for technical and logistical issues

Mural concept 

The author of the new mural in Białystok is a Japanese artist, Kohei Yamao, also known by his nom d’artiste BAKIBAKI. His work currently focuses on designing and creating murals, which are distinguished by the artist’s distinctive style.

I was inspired by the spiral logo of the Poland Pavilion at Expo in Osaka, and my signature image penetrates from the past to the future, abstractly expressing the message of “Poland. Heritage that drives the future” – says BAKIBAKI.

In the foreground of the mural, there are two abstract plants that intertwine and grow upwards like ivy. They are intended to symbolise the continued development of Poland and Japan and the cooperation between the countries. The pieces were presented in the artist’s signature style, based on traditional Japanese design motifs. The choice of plant elements was intentional as they should emphasise the distinctive feature of Poland, and above all of Podlaskie Region, which is its unique nature.

The mural design also includes an element of the logo of the Poland Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan which on the one hand refers to the Pavilion’s architecture, while on the other, it is intended to evoke the association of the spreading “wave of creativity”. A driving force behind the economic, cultural and social successes, the creativity of the Polish people is at the heart of the narrative surrounding Poland’s promotion at the Expo.

The mural can be seen on the building of the Marshal’s Office of the Podlaskie Region in Białystok, at 1 Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego Street.

I hope that my mural will be loved by the people of Białystok and take root in the city as a symbol of the splendour of “Japan’s dragon soaring to the heavens” – the artist adds.

About the artist

BAKIBAKI / Kohei Yamao was born in Osaka in 1978. He graduated from Kyoto University of the Arts. The guiding theme of his art is his original geometric patterns, which combine references to the Japanese language, Japanese tradition and street culture. The artist’s signature pattern alludes to ancient Japanese designs and family crests as well as the repetition of futuristic forms found in Japanese manga and anime from the 1990s.

BAKIBAKI currently focuses mainly on creating large-scale murals in urban spaces, primarily Osaka. Since 2021, BAKIBAKI has been implementing the “Yodokabe” project in the Juso district of Osaka, contributing to the revitalisation of the city in preparation for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and the popularisation of street culture in Japan. In addition to murals, the artist also paints and conducts art workshops.

Promotion of Polish regions

It was no accident that the mural was created in the capital of Podlaskie Region. The region will be the first Polish region to appear at the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan as part of the Regional Promotion Programme, which is coordinated by the Expo Team at the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH). Under the Programme, PAIH has signed agreements with 12 Marshal’s Offices.

Representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Podlaskie Region have put together a range of business and cultural events to contribute to the branding of the region and the interest of the Japanese in the region. Podlaskie also took part in the Regional Promotion Programme during Expo 2020 Dubai, and was the first of the regions to launch promotional activities on that occasion as well.