Roland DG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and printer/cutters worldwide, has announced its collaboration with Roland Corporation, a renowned manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical instruments, in the production of a one-of-a-kind digital grand piano wrapped in artwork by Paralym Art artist Ms. Michiru Kanki. The art-wrapped piano, along with other specially created items, will be unveiled at a special showcase event at NEOPASA Hamamatsu in Japan on August 9, 2025.
Roland Corporation is a global brand that offers a wide range of innovative digital equipment from electronic musical instruments, including digital pianos, electronic drums, and synthesizers, to professional audio/video equipment such as digital AV mixers. Its high-quality and creative solutions are widely used by customers around the world, from renowned musicians and creators to amateur users.
Since 2021, Roland Corporation has sponsored the “Paralym Art” initiative, operated by the Japan Organization for the Promotion of Independence of Persons with Disabilities, to contribute to the economic independence and social participation of artists with disabilities. For this project, the company commissioned Kanki, who in addition to being a Paralym Art artist, is active in fields ranging from music to graphics production. Her piece, “Ad-lib,” created under the theme “The Future Brought by Music and Instruments,” was reproduced using Roland DG’s TrueVIS XG-640 wide-format inkjet printer to wrap the Roland digital grand piano.
At the event, visitors can enjoy a hands-on experience with the art-wrapped piano and other Roland products. The event will also feature a tactile art canvas that reproduces Kanki’s work with Roland DG’s unique DIMENSE dimensional printing technology, allowing it to be enjoyed both visually and by touch. Limited-edition stickers will also be produced and distributed.
“To bring out the full appeal of Ms. Kanki’s artwork, which combines powerful, vivid colors with an enveloping gentleness, we used our flagship printer/cutter, the XG-640,” said Kohei Tanabe, CEO, President, and Representative Director of Roland DG. “We aimed to express not only the brilliant colors of the artwork, but also the passion and story embedded within it. Through this collaboration, we hope to convey to people the wonder of transforming imagination into reality.”
Kanki noted, “The value that music and instruments bring has always been, and will always be, about brightening the connections between people. For this piece, ‘Ad-lib,’ I used orange as a base to evoke ‘infinite joy and fun,’ balancing it with emerald, blue, and other colors to capture the freedom, hope, style, and gentleness of music. I am thrilled that my artwork, as a one-of-a-kind piano, will be played by so many people.”
- Art Wrapped Piano: The art-wrapped piano was created using the TrueVIS XG-640, uniquely designed to deliver outstanding print quality with brilliant color.
- Piano Bench: Features graphics printed directly onto an ethical synthetic “Sobagni” leather from Kyowa Leather Cloth Co., Ltd., using a VersaOBJECT large-format direct-to-object printer.
- Embossed Canvas: Tactile artwork was created using the DIMENSE DA-640 printer, allowing visitors to experience the art by touch.
- Limited Edition Stickers: Free commemorative stickers, printed on the compact VersaSTUDIO BN2-20 inkjet printer, will be available for visitors at the event
