Exhibition

Phonedinate


Creator: Hikaru Aohara
Producer: Yu Kusube
Term: May 12 (Mon) – June 27 (Fri), 2025
Open: Weekdays from 9:30 to 18:30
Close: Weekends

This exhibition showcases innovative work that transforms smartphone wallpapers into dynamic fashion elements, seamlessly blending personal style from the physical world with the digital realm.

At the heart of this experience is Phonedinate, an app built around the concept of "coordinating your smartphone just like your outfit." In today’s world, smartphones and smartwatches are integral parts of our daily wardrobe. Yet, while we change our clothes every day, our wallpapers often stay the same. Why? Simply put, finding a new wallpaper to match your outfit can be time-consuming. Phonedinate solves this problem by generating a perfect wallpaper to complement your outfit in an instant—just by using a photo.

Using advanced AI, the app isolates the clothing elements from your photo, analyzes them through k-means clustering to identify the three dominant colors, and then creates a randomized mesh gradient wallpaper that fits your device’s resolution.

With Phonedinate, users can now seamlessly extend their morning routine to include the digital world—coordinating not just their outfit, but their device’s home screen as well. This app introduces a new daily habit, where digital devices are an active part of personal style, bringing the joy of “coordination” straight to your pocket.

Through this exhibition, we invite you to reflect on the growing intersection of our daily lives with digital technologies powered by AI. The boundaries between the tangible and intangible aspects of our thoughts and actions are becoming increasingly blurred. By using clothing—a familiar, personal element—as a motif, we aim to explore how the fusion of the physical and the digital reshapes our experience of style, self-expression, and identity.

About

ITbM Gallery is situated within the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM) building. WPI-ITbM serves as a hub for forging a new interdisciplinary realm of research by fostering collaboration between state-of-the-art synthetic chemistry, animal/plant biology, and theoretical science. Its mission is to introduce "transformative bio-molecules" that not only revolutionize scientific practices but also impact our way of life.

Within the spectrum of events organized by WPI-ITbM around the theme of "Mix," ITbM Gallery stands out. This gallery is dedicated to showcasing the crossroads of science and art, emphasizing the beauty and creativity born from their fusion. Our aim is to stimulate scientists to explore unconventional ideas and foster innovative "Mix" concepts. Moreover, we strive to provide NU students, faculty members, and staff with an opportunity to reflect on the concept of "Mix" and its diverse interpretations.

JOIN OUR GALLERY!
ITbM Gallery invites emerging artists to submit artwork for an opportunity to participate in our exhibitions. We are looking for a diverse body of artwork in all mediums and styles. If you are looking for gallery representation and to have an exhibition in Nagoya, submit your art and present it to the public.

SUBMISSION

Organizer: Issey Takahashi
Collaborator: Kazutaka Hirota
Guest curator: Nagisa Takai, Becky Alp, Briar Rose Pelletier
Advisor: Jian Xue

ACCESS

1F Entrance Hall, ITbM Gallery, Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University

 

CONTACT

Issey Takahashi
Research Promotion Division (RPD),
Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University

Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan

Tel: +81-52-789-4999
Email: takahashi.issei.a9[at]f.mail.nagoya-u.ac.jp

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