CA Christopher Abarca

2023 / Exhibition / Case Study / Editorial / Identity

Toriyama Early Works Exhibition

A For Fun's Sake exhibition campaign for the late Akira Toriyama, focusing on his early creative path through print, merchandise, badges, and an app.

For Fun's Sake exhibition badge and lanyard system in yellow, white, and black.
Role

Art direction, identity, and editorial design

Client

Self-initiated case study

Medium

Exhibition concept, Posters, Publication system, Merchandise, Mobile app concept

Location

Honolulu Museum of Art concept

Images

14 visual moments

Full For Fun's Sake invitation mailer with yellow envelope, enclosed letter, and invitation card arranged on a paper surface.
01 The invitation mailer set the exhibition's graphic tone before the museum visit.
Person at an outdoor event carrying a For Fun's Sake tote bag.
02 Merchandise translated the exhibition identity into visitor objects.
Black For Fun's Sake booklet and packaging pieces on a gray surface.
03 Black and yellow gave the archive a punchy exhibition presence.

For Fun's Sake

The exhibition looks before Dragon Ball to show how Toriyama became a legend of his field.

The system uses black, white, and gold to allude to inked manga panels and a warm studio yellow, turning limited early-work material into an exhibition built on form, shadow, print, and visitor objects.

White and black For Fun's Sake tote bags with yellow handles.
Visitor merchandise extended the campaign beyond the museum visit.

Brief

This case study explores how I would develop and market an exhibition for the late Akira Toriyama. Instead of focusing on Dragon Ball, the project looks at his earlier work and the path that made him a legend in his field.

Concept

I limited the system to black, white, and gold. Black and white allude to traditional inked manga panels, while the warm yellow pays homage to the color he later used for his studio and home.

That restraint created a natural challenge because there was less public material from his early work to highlight. The exhibition materials needed to stay interesting through form, contrast, and shadow rather than depending on vibrant character-driven color palettes.

System

The case study plans a floor plan inside the Honolulu Museum of Art, staff, VIP, and guest badges, merchandise, invitations, and a mobile app visitors could use during the exhibition.

The app supports reservations, merchandise, artwork browsing, and interactive moments, while the printed objects make the exhibition feel collectible before, during, and after the visit.

Outcome

The result is a self-initiated exhibition identity that turns a focused archive into a complete visitor journey, using a strict palette and tactile system to make the early work feel intentional, memorable, and worth revisiting.

Image archive

14 selected visual moments

Full For Fun's Sake invitation mailer with yellow envelope, enclosed letter, and invitation card arranged on a paper surface.
01 The invitation mailer set the exhibition's graphic tone before the museum visit.
Person at an outdoor event carrying a For Fun's Sake tote bag.
02 Merchandise translated the exhibition identity into visitor objects.
Black For Fun's Sake booklet and packaging pieces on a gray surface.
03 Black and yellow gave the archive a punchy exhibition presence.
White and black For Fun's Sake tote bags with yellow handles.
04 Visitor merchandise extended the campaign beyond the museum visit.
Three For Fun's Sake mobile app screens and badge layouts in yellow, white, and black.
05 The app concept supported tickets, merchandise, artwork browsing, and AR moments.
For Fun's Sake printed invitation cards with yellow and white panels.
06 Printed pieces kept the system tactile and collectible.
Person wearing a For Fun's Sake lanyard badge at an outdoor event.
07 Badge graphics gave the identity a clear event hierarchy.
Yellow For Fun's Sake envelope and invitation pieces.
08 The invitation envelope turns the exhibition palette into a collectible first touchpoint.
For Fun's Sake tote bag merchandise variations.
09 A focused merchandise family keeps the exhibition visible outside the museum.
For Fun's Sake badge system shown in yellow, gray, and black.
10 Staff, VIP, and guest credentials use color and hierarchy to clarify access.
For Fun's Sake invitation and credential presentation.
11 The campaign system connects invitations, passes, and print materials through one modular grid.
Exhibition editorial and mobile presentation spread.
12 Editorial and mobile touchpoints carry the visitor from research to the gallery experience.
For Fun's Sake editorial spread with early-work imagery.
13 The layout relies on scale, cropping, and black-yellow contrast when source imagery is limited.
For Fun's Sake mobile app screen group.
14 The app supports reservations, artwork browsing, event information, and interactive moments.

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