For Takashi Murakami’s highly anticipated solo exhibition at The Broad Museum in Los Angeles, BUCK partnered with Meta to create six site-specific AR experiences. Titled 'Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow'. This exhibition featured immersive AR installations blending Murakami's artistic vision with The Broad's unique architecture.
As a 3D designer, Clara Bacou helped define how Murakami's art could translate to AR and be seamlessly integrated into the gallery setting around his work - this involved 3D design, modelling, texturing, asset optimization and setting up 3D assets in Spark AR.
These meticulously crafted AR installations fit within the constraints of mobile rendering, providing an engaging, colourful, and technically innovative addition to Murakami’s exhibition, delighting visitors and complementing the vibrant atmosphere of The Broad.
At the museum entrance, visitors were welcomed by Murakami’s mascot, Mr. DOB, floating above the plaza like a giant parade float amidst blooming and smiling Ohana Flowers.
The surrounding 3D Ohana Flowers bloomed at the start of the experience, with their faces changing expressions in a loop. Using a space-saving system, Meta Spark’s technology allowed for a variety of color variations, enhancing both performance and visual appeal. Small 2D Ohana Flowers also bloomed and rained down as particles, bringing playful animation in Murakami's signature rainbow hues.
Large Ohana Flowers bloom atop The Broad's iconic Veil, entertaining visitors in the queue.
The Murakami flowers modeled, textured and optimsed for mobile AR.
Originally part of the Clone X collaboration between Takashi Murakami and RTFKT, these avatars blend Murakami’s psychedelic pop surrealism with digital fashion culture.
In this installation, the avatars are reimagined in augmented reality, transforming the gallery space into a sculptural portal between the physical and the virtual. The result is an immersive extension of Murakami’s visual universe, where collectible characters step beyond the screen and into spatial experience.
Virtual 14' Demon sculptures stand guard in the lobby, enhancing the space without affecting foot traffic.
Originally created by Takashi Murakami, Pom & Me is a playful self-portrait of the artist alongside his iconic dog Pom. Rendered in Murakami’s signature superflat style and polished chrome finish, this work blurs the line between character, sculpture and pop icon.
We brought the artwork to life in augmented reality, transforming the physical sculpture into a living digital object you can experience in motion and scale - a new expression of Murakami’s world through immersive technology.