Kohei Ogawa Unveils 'Green Cow Garden' Pop-Up in Hong Kong, Featuring Debut Trading Card Series

Japanese artist and illustrator Kohei Ogawa, known for his distinctive storybook aesthetic, is expanding his creative universe with an exclusive pop-up event titled ‘Green Cow Garden’ at BELOWGROUND, a prominent exhibition space within Hong Kong’s LANDMARK luxury retail complex. The event, running from August 15 to August 31, is presented by HOW2WORK CTC, a company specializing in art collectibles and toys, and organized by SAKA SAKA, a regional distributor of collectible items. This dual-purpose pop-up serves as both an immersive gallery, allowing visitors to step into Ogawa's idyllic world, and a curated retail space offering a range of exclusive merchandise.

The ‘Green Cow Garden’ pop-up aims to bring Ogawa’s beloved characters and narrative style to life through a cohesive exhibition. The centerpiece of the installation is a striking 1.4-meter BG Bear statue, a recurring character in Ogawa's work, which visually anchors the space and extends his signature soft, whimsical artistic style into the physical environment. The exhibition features a diverse collection of items, including original artwork, limited-edition vinyl figures that have become a staple of contemporary art toy culture, lifestyle goods designed to reflect the artist's aesthetic, and a significant new venture into the trading card game (TCG) market.

A major highlight of the event is the global launch of the HOW2WORK CTC Green Cow Series 1 trading card game. This marks Kohei Ogawa's official entry into the TCG arena, translating his character illustrations into collectible archival formats. The series boasts an extensive collection of 137 distinct card designs, meticulously categorized by rarity levels: Normal, Rare, Parallel Rare, and the highly sought-after Secret rarity. Further enhancing the collectible appeal, the series includes randomly inserted hand-drawn sketch cards, offering unique artistic interpretations, and on-card autographed UR (Ultra Rare) cards, providing enthusiasts with exceptionally rare and valuable additions to their collections. This strategic move into TCGs taps into a growing global market for collectible card games, often driven by established artistic universes and limited edition releases.

To commemorate both the pop-up and the debut of the trading card series, a variety of event-exclusive merchandise is available for purchase. Leading this collection is the BG Bear Collector’s Set, a premium offering designed for dedicated fans. Ahead of the pop-up's opening, Hypebeast engaged in an interview with Kohei Ogawa to gain deeper insights into the worldbuilding process behind ‘Green Cow Garden’ and his artistic transition from traditional mediums like canvas and soft vinyl toys to the digital and collectible formats of trading cards. During the conversation, Ogawa articulated his primary goal for the pop-up: to introduce the expansive world of ‘Green Cow Garden’ to a broader audience and encourage them to explore and connect with the diverse cast of characters he has meticulously developed over his career. He emphasized that the core concept is to make his entire universe accessible and engaging, leveraging his substantial archive of work to create a comprehensive and immersive exhibition experience that resonates with both long-time admirers and new collectors.