If you’re looking for a fun activity to try with your family and friends, you should check out this new exhibit at the heart of the metro. Alliance Française de Manille, in partnership with the Embassy of France to the Philippines and SM Supermalls, presents Uramado AR: Tanukis Awake, an immersive treasure hunt that combines art and technology into a playground for the imagination.

What is the Uramado AR exhibit?

Uramado AR: Tanukis Awake blends illustration, animation, and digital storytelling into a fun interactive augmented reality (AR) experience.

Inspired by Japanese folklore, the exhibit tells the story of Tanukis, which are mischievous, shape-shifting forest spirits, as they wake up in the middle of the modern city — in this case, the mall.

Uramado is designed like a treasure hunt experience, and as participants, you can follow a curated path to find these Tanuki spirits placed all around the mall. Rooted in animist thought, the work encourages us to reconsider our relationship with nature and the objects around us, suggesting that everything holds its own form of life.

Who is the artist behind the exhibit?

French-Cambodian artist and designer Julie Stephen Chheng is the brains behind Uramado, and this marks the first Philippine exhibition for her.

Created in collaboration with Thomas Pons and developed at Volumique Studio in Paris, Chheng’s Uramado focuses on the intersection of physical and digital worlds. Her style blends delicate paper art and illustration with cutting-edge technology, creating a contemporary, participatory experience that invites you to become part of the Tanukis’ story.

How does the exhibit work?

The Uramado experience is designed to be easy and engaging for all ages, and here is how you can participate:

1. First, download the free Uramado AR app, available on both iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
2. Follow the route through the mall to find visual markers and Tanuki figures. You can find and scan them in any order.
3. Scan the characters using the app. The spirits will come to life through your screen, appearing bewildered by the human world and asking you questions. Make sure to answer each question and collect all 12 Tanukis.
4. Your answers to the spirits’ questions will lead to a personalized narrative. By the end of the hunt, the app reveals your very own spirit identity. Download your personalized Tanuki after!

When and where can you find the Uramado exhibit?

The exhibition is traveling across two malls, giving you plenty of time to join the hunt:

• SM Aura Premier in BGC – April 25 to June 25, 2026
• The Podium Mall in Mandaluyong – July 1 to July 31, 2026

Would you check out this AR exhibit?

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