'The Great Genre Voyage' — A New Creative Culture Born from an Artist's Despair in the AI Era

'The Great Genre Voyage' — A New Creative Culture Born from an Artist's Despair in the AI Era July 23, 2026 Artist TAKUROMAN announces 'The Great Genre Voyage' — a new form of co-creation where humans and AI nurture an artwork world in a cyclical process, featuring 108 works and a participatory website. TAKUROMAN will participate in the group exhibition "Art & Graphic exhibition (2026.August) — Innovation of Creation" at RECTO VERSO GALLERY (Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo), running from August 4 (Tue) to August 8 (Sat), 2026. ■ Work Overview Centered around a single character "TAKUMI = Captain," TAKUROMAN presents a body of 108 works that traverse genres, titled 'The Great Genre Voyage.' "Genre" in this work does not merely refer to expressive media like painting, film, music, or games. It encompasses media, roles, and the very ways humans engage with the world. The 108 pieces exhibited are not final forms. They are works that begin at 108 ports of call and continue to grow through participants. ■ The Core Question At the heart of 'The Great Genre Voyage' lies this question: In an era where AI enables anyone to participate in creation, what should humans express? This work is a continuation of 'The Funeral of Human Creativity' presented at the same gallery in 2025. The previous work addressed the despair of "Is human creativity ending?" triggered by AI's emergence, and the resulting changes in creative methods. After a year of contemplation, the answer arrived: 'The Great Genre Voyage.' Born from despair over AI, it has evolved into a proposal for the next generation's creative culture. ■ Begins with Humans, Expands with AI, Grows through People 'The Great Genre Voyage' starts from a single original drawing by one human. AI expands that one piece to 108 ports of call. But the work doesn't end there. As viewers feel, think, write stories, and find unique meanings, the work continues to grow. This project itself is a work that embodies a new cyclical system: Human → AI → Human → AI... where the artwork grows through continuous circulation. ■ 108 Ports of Call — Diversity of Expression - PORT 006 "Collage" - PORT 025 "X-ray of a Figure" - PORT 065 "Character Bento" - PORT 075 "Yoga" (Motion capture of human movement) A single character traverses 108 'ports of call' across media, exploring the possibilities of expression. ■ The Work Continues to Grow After the Exhibition Ends The official website is not an archive but a "living exhibition space" that continues to grow after the show ends. Anyone worldwide can participate. Official Website: https://daikoukai.art ■ Exhibition Details Exhibition: Art & Graphic exhibition (2026.August) — Innovation of Creation Dates: August 4 (Tue) – August 8 (Sat), 2026 Hours: Tue–Fri 12:00–18:00 / Sat 12:00–15:30 Admission: Free Venue: RECTO VERSO GALLERY Address: 2-17-13 Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0025, Inoue Bldg. 2F #401 Access: 2-min walk from Kayabacho Station (Hibiya/Tozai Line), East Exit 3 Artists: Yuichi Ichikawa / Aiko Yamada / okoroom / TAKUROMAN Organized by: RECTO VERSO GALLERY