Art agency for people with disabilities debuts with Nagoya exhibition

Art brand Heralbony made its mark for the first time in Nagoya, opening an exhibition in RAYARD Hisaya-Odori Park on September 18. The collection is presented in collaboration with BRING, a circular economy brand that creates new clothes from discarded clothing, and MODECO, a brand which upcycles industrial waste. With the concept of creating a “Sustainable Museum,” this 3-month exhibition will showcase a range of paintings featuring bold-color paints and dynamic brushstrokes rotating each month.

Upcycling artwork helps generate earnings for people with disabilities

Printed on tarpaulin fabric, the paintings will be repurposed into tote bags after they are taken down from the walls. In this way, visitors can maintain a connection with their favorite artists, and it gives the artwork a second life.

Simultaneously, commodifying the paintings allows artists to be compensated for the dedication and creativity they put into their work, even after the exhibition. Parts of the tote bag manufacturing process, including the stitching and finishing, will be outsourced to vocational training centers for people with disabilities.

This is in line with the startup’s philosophy: to ensure people with disabilities earn money with their skills. The founders of Heralbony are twin brothers from Iwate Prefecture, Fumito and Takaya Matsuda. The Matsuda twins have an autistic older brother Shota. Growing up, the twins witnessed the discrimination and prejudice that Shota experienced.

The business idea came when the twins visited Iwate’s Lumbini Art Museum, which exhibits expressive artwork by people with disabilities. The experience reinforced their view that just because people like their brother may require special care and attention, it doesn’t mean that they lack skills. Focusing on the creative talents of people with disabilities, the twins decided to design art projects. Furthermore, they wanted to help change the stigma surrounding disabilities while helping such people earn money too.

Heralbony promises quality and respect for artists

The twins always take care to make the highest quality products, reflecting their respect for the artists. Heralbony’s neckties are made in collaboration with Ginza Taya, an established men’s suit accessory store. These high-end neckties are now sold at department stores in Iwate and Tokyo. The twins say that they want shoppers to buy their products because they like them, not just out of charity. Moreover, they also make sure to list the names of all the artists when creating products. For example, Kiyoshi Yaegashi is an experienced artist based in Iwate, known for his colorful geometric paintings. He was once featured in an art project in JR Hanamaki Station in Iwate, where the station building was wrapped in his art. His artwork has also been turned into a tote bag after the exhibition in Nagoya.

At the exhibition, visitors can get familiar with other artists from all over Japan and purchase their products. Until October 30, visitors can take a complimentary guided tour of the exhibition led by the museum staff to get a deeper insight into each piece.

• Exhibition: September 18 – December 27, 2020
• Opening hours: 11 am – 9 pm
• Location: RAYARD Hisaya-Odori Park
• Nearest address: Nishiki 3-15-10 Naka-ku, Nagoya city, Aichi