ArtCenter Exhibit Explores Japanese Spirits and Hikikomori Phenomenon

New multimedia installation '2-YOKAI' uses Japanese folklore to examine social withdrawal crisis

Mar. 12, 2026 at 1:33pm

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When 19 cultural institutions open their doors for ArtNight Pasadena, one exhibition at ArtCenter College of Design will be using Japanese mythological spirits to examine hikikomori, a form of extreme social withdrawal that has affected over a million people in Japan. The multimedia installation '2-YOKAI' by Los Angeles artists Andy Fedak and Bruce Yonemoto features an animated series and a deconstructed film exploring these themes through Japanese folklore.

Why it matters

The exhibition aims to use surrealist narratives drawing on Japanese folklore to understand the contemporary global issue of social isolation and withdrawal. By connecting myth with the real-world phenomenon of hikikomori, the artists hope to provide a new perspective on this mental health crisis.

The details

The centerpiece of the exhibition is 'Hikikomori-0', an animated series by Fedak featuring a protagonist named Brucio who tries repeatedly to leave his apartment but is blocked by the Nurikabe, a creature from Japanese folklore. The Nurikabe is used as a metaphor for the invisible forces preventing people from social engagement. The second work, 'Kappa' by Bruce Yonemoto and his late brother Norman, deconstructs the Oedipus myth within Japanese folklore, exploring themes of desire. The exhibition uses video and animation intentionally to allow for open-ended interpretations by the audience.

  • The exhibition '2-YOKAI' opened on March 7, 2026 and runs through August 1, 2026.
  • ArtNight Pasadena, where the exhibition will be featured, takes place on Friday, March 13, 2026 from 6 to 10 p.m.

The players

Andy Fedak

Los Angeles artist who co-created the multimedia installation '2-YOKAI'. He holds an MFA from the University of California, Irvine and a BFA in Film and Television from New York University, and is a professor of art at California State University, Fullerton.

Bruce Yonemoto

Los Angeles artist who co-created the multimedia installation '2-YOKAI' and directed the film 'Kappa'. He is the chair and professor of the Art Department at UC Irvine and has worked in video and digital media installation since the mid-1970s.

Norman Yonemoto

Late brother of Bruce Yonemoto, who co-directed the film 'Kappa' with Bruce in 1987.

Christina Valentine

Associate Director of ArtCenter Galleries, who provided commentary on the exhibition.

Mike Kelley

Artist who played the title character of the Kappa in the 1987 film.

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What they’re saying

“The nurikabe allows for a metaphorical interpretation of this problem by embodying the mental health crisis in the form of a yokai.”

— Christina Valentine, Associate Director of ArtCenter Galleries (pasadenanow.com)

“The documentary and reality-based storytelling often serve to provide a fixed conclusion with closed meanings. Video art allows for open-ended meaning that the audience can explore in multiple perspectives.”

— Christina Valentine, Associate Director of ArtCenter Galleries (pasadenanow.com)

“Japanese folklore is already embedded into western culture through popular cultural phenomenon such as Pokemon and Super Mario - they just have not been directly acknowledged as originating from Japanese culture.”

— Bruce Yonemoto (pasadenanow.com)

What’s next

The exhibition '2-YOKAI' will remain on display at the Peter and Merle Mullin Gallery at ArtCenter College of Design through August 1, 2026.

The takeaway

This exhibition uses the lens of Japanese folklore and mythology to shed new light on the global phenomenon of social withdrawal and isolation, providing an innovative approach to understanding and addressing this pressing mental health crisis.