Study：大阪関西国際芸術祭 | 2025 Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025

Event Information

COOK, known for the giant murals at the Osaka Kansai Expo and Matsubara City's "Okusama-jirushi Skateboard Park," will upcycle discarded skateboard decks collected in Matsubara City and hold a workshop with children. This is the first time that COOK will hold a workshop with children. Children will create works with their names on them on the spot and take them home as "special memories of Matsubara." Participation is free. Only for children up to junior high school age.

*This project is also collaborating with "NEXT STEP OLLIE," an SDGs promotion initiative run by businesses in Matsubara City that is working to correct disparities in skateboarding experiences.

In addition, musicians who are leading the Osaka reggae scene will participate and perform live and DJ sets. Music will also connect the local area with visitors. Experience the charm of "Osaka reggae culture" where music and art are fused together.

COOK

Originally from Osaka, he began working as a graffiti writer in the late 1990s, traveling alone to Los Angeles to master his craft. After returning to Japan, he has been collaborating with a wide range of fields, including fashion, music, and anime, based in Osaka. Since around 2010, he has been the only Japanese to participate in "DISSIZIT!" led by OG SLICK, and has been highly praised in the US. In 2015, he held his first solo exhibition in LA, and in 2021, he will hold a traveling exhibition in six cities across Japan. He continues to be active both at home and abroad, producing murals for the Louis Vuitton Shibuya store, Universal Studios Japan, and the Osaka Kansai International Expo in 2025. Traveling exhibition "THE CHASE": His first European solo exhibition will be held in London in 2023, followed by LA and Korea in 2024, and Tokyo (final) in 2025, etc.

Osaka Reggae Culture Live

PIKKAL fr KING JAM

They started performing in clubs in Osaka in 1998. In 2000, they moved to New York to expand their activities. The members of KING JAM are Miki, Haji, and Steel-T, who met in New York. Since 2001, they have been performing regularly at events in the Bronx, New York.
Since then, he has performed as a guest at events with big sound artists in Jamaica and NY. He has also toured not only in Atlanta, New Jersey, Washington DC, Connecticut, North Carolina, and the US, but also in Antigua, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden, and in 2016, Israel.
In addition, since 2019, they have been invited every year to participate in the Love & Harmony cruise, captained by Beres Hammond of Jamaica, who has been active since the 1970s.

Jr.SANTA

Born in 2003 in Kishiwada, Osaka. His father is the reggae artist FAT SANTA, and he grew up surrounded by good old music from an early age. His songs, such as "Sa-Shi-Su-Se-So" and "Dan Di Might", have garnered a lot of support for their catchy phrases and down-to-earth messages. He is also active in Jamaica, and has produced many combination songs with domestic and international artists. He has also performed at large events such as Emergency Ruba Dub and Highest Mountain, and his presence at the clash event "Combat" was also a hot topic. He has participated in songs by Frankie Paris, U the Starr, AN-KUN, TAK-Z, NINETY-U, and others, and has an excellent sense of balance between freestyle and his own songs, making him a leader in the next generation of reggae scene.

ZENDAMAN

Born in 2000. He continues to convey the importance of "valuing individuality and making your own decisions" through reggae, and is attracting attention as a leader of the next generation.
Born in Yahaba-cho, Iwate Prefecture, she moved to Jamaica alone at the age of 18 and is currently active both domestically and internationally, with her base in Jamaica and Japan. She trained under music producer GACHA MEDZ. She appeared at the Jamaican national event "STING" and has attracted attention locally. In 2023, she held a triumphant return concert in Japan, expanding her activities both domestically and internationally. On her YouTube channel "Zenda Mi Zenda," she shares her life and musical activities in Jamaica, and has been viewed approximately 6.5 million times, gaining support from a wide range of age groups.
His music incorporates a wide range of styles from classic reggae to the latest dancehall, and is characterized by lyrics in Patois (Jamaican English). He also collaborates with hip-hop artists, and is engaged in musical activities that transcend genres.