7 unmissable exhibits to catch at the upcoming Doraemon Exhibition in Singapore

By Sebastian Masuda

This 2.6-metre-tall Doraemon sculpture by Japanese artist Sebastian Masuda is a response of sorts to current events. Inspired by "Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Dorabian Nights", it depicts a Doraemon toy found abandoned in the desert. Made out of hundreds of colourful trinkets that Sebastian picked up from markets all over the world during his travels pre-pandemic, it signifies the love and joy that Doraemon can bring even in desolate times – a better antidote, the artist thinks, than the violence and war we see today. 

Sebastian Masuda, ‘Final Weapon’ (2017), THE DORAEMON EXHIBITION SINGAPORE 2022 ©Fujiko-Pro

By Takashi Murakami

This massive artwork by Takashi Murakami sits in Act 1 of the exhibition, alongside 26 other works responding to the prompt "Create Your Own Original Doraemon". A collage of the characters and objects from the Doraemon canon, it's not only a visual representation of the depth of Doraemon, but also an homage to the incredible development of Japanese manga post-World War II. When admiring this artwork, try to spot the character representing Fujiko F. Fujio himself. Murakami inserted the famed manga artist behind Doraemon in as the 'key' that brought the work alive. 

Takashi Murakami, ‘Wouldn't It Be Nice If We Could Do Such a Thing’ (2017), THE DORAEMON EXHIBITION SINGAPORE 2022 ©Fujiko-Pro

By Jahan Loh

In bringing The Doraemon Exhibition to life, LEYOUKI and the National Museum of Singapore wanted to bring some local flavour too. Hence, the addition of two works, one by homegrown contemporary artist Jahan Loh and another by Singaporean photographer Leslie Kee. Jahan created the sculpture Intergalactic Voyagers, which imagines himself using one of Doraemon's magical devices to explore the past, present, and future – with the adorable Doraemon as his trusty companion, of course. 

Jahan Loh, ‘Intergalactic Voyagers’ and ‘Teleportation Art_ Series 1 _ 2’ (2022), THE DORAEMON EXHIBITION SINGAPORE 2022 ©Fujiko-Pro

By Ryota Kuwakubo

This mesmerising exhibit by Ryota Kuwabuko can be found in Act 2 of The Doraemon Exhibition, which features 13 artworks by 10 contemporary Japanese artists. Inspired by the movie Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum, the exhibit features a model train traveling on a track. As it moves, its beam casts a light on everyday objects in its path – throwing beautiful, moving shadows on the room's walls. For Kuwakubo, this play on light and dark is a subtle commentary on our attachment to tools and objects – the things we can't live without, but alone cannot make us happy. 

Ryota Kuwakubo, ‘The bell and the sun – Secret Gadgets Museum’ (2017), THE DORAEMON EXHIBITION SINGAPORE 2022 ©Fujiko-Pro

By Satomi Kondo

"Sometimes humans do things that don't make sense" is a line from the movie Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops, which centres on the complicated relationship between Shizuka and the robot girl, Riruru. Recalling her own dreams of a mirrored world – and her complex feelings towards her own past –artist Satomi Kondo created this whimsical painting as a sort of surrender to the illogicality of life. View this vivid artwork in Act 2 of The Doraemon Exhibition. 

Satomi Kondo, ‘Sometimes humans do things that just don’t make sense’ (2017), THE DORAEMON EXHIBITION SINGAPORE 2022 ©Fujiko-Pro

Many know Doraemon through the anime, but not many are familiar with its beginnings as a manga. In the MANGA Doraemon Original Drawings Exhibition, you get the rare chance to learn about famed manga artist Fujiko F Fujio's manga production process and view more than 70 drawings and sketches by the late artist up close. These works are on loan from the Fujiko F Fujio Museum in Japan, and the very first time they're being shown outside the country. This exhibit also features a replica of Fujiko F Fujio's work desk, piled with books on topics like dinosaurs and outer space that inspired him and his work on Doraemon. 

Gallery shot of MANGA Doraemon Original Drawings Exhibition, MANGA DORAEMON Original Drawings Exhibition ©Fujiko-Pro

If you know Doraemon, then you know that his favourite snack is the Dorayaki, a Japanese red bean pancake. And now you can have a piece of it yourself at the Doraemon-themed café at the Basement Gallery Foyer. The exhibition organisers have specially flown down confectioners from Toraya, a wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) maker from Japan with a history stretching back almost 500 years. Explore the exhibit and snag your own Singapore-exclusive Dorayaki set to see for yourself what Doraemon loves so much about the snack. Each Dorayaki costs $6.90. 

Want to bring home a more permanent memento from The Doraemon Exhibition? Then take the escalator up to the merchandise shop, where you can buy tote bags, mugs, stationery items and more plastered with Doraemon artworks from the exhibition. 

THE DORAEMON EXHIBITION SINGAPORE 2022 ©Fujiko-Pro