‘Obol’ by Andrius Arutiunian: a futuristic descent into ritual and myth

From February 20th to May 31st, 2026, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is presenting Obol, the first solo exhibition in Japan by the Armenian-Lithuanian artist and composer Andrius Arutiunian. Curated by Tomoya Iwata of The 5th Floor in Tokyo, the exhibition transforms Le Forum on the 8th floor of Hermès Maison Ginza into a visionary underworld, exploring time, mortality and the afterlife through the intersection of sound, sculpture and installation.

Journey through a futuristic underworld filled with ritual and myth

Obol unfolds as a speculative investigation of the future of the underworld. It merges ritual and myth with avant-garde aesthetics drawn from underground rave culture. Visitors encounter eschatological murmurs, synthetic choirs, laser altars, and symbolic objects such as obols and serpents. Through the use of contemporary materials such as bitumen, Arutiunian reinterprets ancient funeral practices, blending the solemnity of death rituals with playful, immersive installations.

Sculptures, sound, and multimedia installations

The exhibition features newly commissioned works that combine sound, video and sculpture. At the heart of the exhibition is a large bitumen sculpture accompanied by a dancehall-inspired anthem invoking the myth of Charon, the ferryman of the underworld. Other installations explore the transition between life and death, the governance of human and posthumous existence, and the aesthetic potential of time as a viscous, hypnotic force.

In Obol, Andrius Arutiunian presents a dazzling, contemplative world in which ritual and myth are transformed into an immersive, futuristic vision of mortality and transcendence, exploring the fragile divide between life and death.