For this landmark exhibition, WHY worked closely with LACMA’s curatorial team to explore the evolution of Samurai material culture. The organizing structure for the exhibit is a procession of Samurai, brought to life through narrative, light, and pageantry.

The Resnick Pavilion is defined by a series of skylights which cast intense north light upon the space – an important consideration, given that several of the artifacts are extremely light-sensitive. WHY turned to the subject matter of the exhibition for a solution, covering the skylights and placing red gels over the interior lighting to cast a warlike glow. The dramatic result heightens the senses, referencing the militant origin of the collection and Japan’s symbolic association with the red rising sun.