FRAY was honoured to be invited to design the video content for the opening ceremony of the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Sponsored by Cartier and produced in collaboration with the renowned Es Devlin Studio, the pavilion featured a breathtaking opening ceremony that celebrated creativity, diversity, and global voices.

Working closely with Es Devlin Studio, our team developed immersive video design elements that helped bring the vision of the pavilion to life. This was a unique opportunity to contribute to a momentous cultural event, and we are proud to have played a part in shaping the audience experience.

The concept for the video started with the idea of a drop into still water rippling outward,  reflecting the messaging behind the women's pavilion in that ripples from a drop of water can travel, colliding with one another and create something beautiful and impactful.

In our design we were led by a desire to use real physical water and light to create impactful video which melts into the space while enhancing it. In multiple different set-ups we filmed soundwaves as they travelled through water, using the original sound track of the show to create movement. To capture the impact of a drop into water we used a high speed Phantom camera, filming at up to 1000 frames per second.

The additional impact of FRAY's hand-drawn ink animals routed the event firmly within nature and the landscapes of Japan.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this collaboration was seeing our work presented alongside inspiring figures such as Dame Jacinda Ardern, Her Royal Highness Princess Takamado, actress Anna Sawai, poet JJ Bola, and executive June Miyachi.