BAKIBAKI
Is our artist line-up for Tangi Street Art Festival 2025
Born in Osaka in 1978, BAKIBAKI—also known as Doppel—has been redefining Japanese visual language since 2001, when he began his career while studying at Kyoto City University of Arts. His signature “BAKI pattern” reinterprets ancient Japanese motifs into a modern, rhythmic visual system that bridges traditional aesthetics with contemporary street culture. Over the past two decades, he has emerged as a leading figure in Japanese muralism, known for his precise technique and dynamic sense of rhythm.
His portfolio includes major public commissions such as murals at the Tainan Art Museum (2016), Osaka International Airport (2018), and the Polish Foreign Trade Agency (2024). He has been invited to numerous international mural festivals, among them POW!WOW! Taiwan, POW!WOW! Hawaii, The Wallriors (Taiwan), Varanasi Art Project (India), and DUK Festival (Serbia).
In 2021, he launched YODOKABE, a community mural initiative in Juso, Osaka, revitalizing neighborhoods while fostering international cultural exchange in the lead-up to Expo 2025. His practice demonstrates a seamless fusion of local roots with global dialogue, positioning him as a visionary of 21st-century Japanese mural art.
BAKIBAKI joined the third edition of Tangi Street Art Festival as an invited artist in 2025. Held from 11–17 May, the festival carried the theme Tri Hita Karana, a Balinese philosophy that emphasizes harmony across three essential relationships: spirituality, humanity, and nature.
The festival provided a platform for participating artists to interpret these values through their creative practice. Parahyangan (the divine) invited reflections on spirituality and artistic expression; Pawongan (humanity) emphasized collaboration and unity; while Palemahan (nature) promoted sustainability and awareness of the environment.
BAKIBAKI’s participation highlighted his ability to weave cultural narratives into bold, geometric expressions. His mural reflected the festival’s aim of connecting local traditions with international perspectives, blending Japanese and Balinese elements into a work that underscored the spirit of exchange. Through his practice, the 2025 edition of Tangi became both a celebration of heritage and a vision for shared cultural futures.
Arriving in Bali at night, BAKIBAKI was eager to begin working on his mural immediately after landing. True to his discipline, he approached the project with focus and precision, carefully sketching and preparing his design with the Tangi team. His process is distinctive: he uses masking tape as a primary tool, constructing his composition through meticulous taping before applying spray paint. This method results in crisp, rhythmic patterns that are both highly technical and visually dynamic.
For the mural, BAKIBAKI drew inspiration from “Chinzu-Shishimai” by Utagawa Toyokuni, a renowned ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period. The work merges the Japanese lion dance (Shishimai) with the Balinese Barong dance, two powerful cultural symbols of protection and community spirit. By placing these traditions side by side, he created a dialogue between Japan and Bali, underscoring their shared emphasis on ritual, storytelling, and collective identity.
The final mural, created with masking tape and spray paint, prominently features his signature Baki pattern, giving the work both rhythm and energy. For BAKIBAKI, the project was not just an opportunity to showcase his craft but also to honor the spirit of cultural exchange. His mural stands as a celebration of unity between two distinct traditions, brought together through the language of contemporary street art.