This mural features an image of the tragic moment in which an atomic bomb explodes, and yet it has a surprisingly positive title, “Myth of Tomorrow.” Why is that?

The artist, Taro Okamoto, is famously known for saying “Art is an Explosion.” The vibrant colors fight against the backdrop of the explosion, refusing to be beaten, revealing Okamoto’s message to the viewers: “human beings are capable of proudly overcoming even the cruelest of tragedies.”

This painting, which was thought to have been lost, was found in a suburb of Mexico in 2003. Okamoto believes “that people should be able to experience art without having to pay for it,” which is how this painting ended up being displayed here in Shibuya.

As you stand before this painting, what are you thinking about? There are many people who might pass by this painting without even realizing they are walking past a famous piece of art. But who knows? As these people walk beside this mural into their own futures, their paths might fuse with the energy coming off of the painting and create something completely new.

To this day, Taro Okamoto has a studio in the Shibuya area and also lives in the neighborhood. Will the “myths of tomorrow” that he is creating alongside the people of Shibuya live up to the vision he has created in his mind?