aya takano
Takashi Murakami
1. “And Then, When That’s Done…… I Change. What I Was Yesterday Is Cast Aside, Like An Insect Shedding Its Skin” (2009)
2. “727” (1996)
3. “Tan Tan Bo Puking – a.k.a. Gero Tan”
4. “Of Chinese Lions, Peonies, Skulls, And Fountains” (2011)
Makoto Aida (1965-) is a controversial contemporary artist best known for his anti-establishment, “non-art” approach to art. His work, which often seeks to offend by combining the classical sense of Japanese culture with the current state of the world and of his particular view of popular culture.
Aya Takano (1976-) is a manga artist, illustrator and science fiction essayist. She is based in Kyoto and Tokyo and is member of Takashi Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki Collective. Takano plays with the concept of Japonisme, while also incorporating forms and ideas from cartoons, anime, science fiction, and erotic art.
Chinatsu Ban’s art focuses on kawaii elephants or human figures floating against Japanese washi paper backgrounds or in front of candy-colored stripes. She also makes sculptures for exhibitions.
Ban on her subject choice:
“These things are like talismans. It’s scary to imagine that someday I won’t exist in this world anymore. I am troubled by the urge to run away from this fear. Elephants make me feel safe. They have saved me many times.”
Excerpt from James Adams’ 15 Inspired Artworks from Japan’s Superflat Movement:
Tokyo-based pop artist Yoshitomo Nara creates deceptively simple images, often of pastel-hued children against plain backgrounds. While the images at first appear rather innocuous, these children often have aggressive, accusatory expressions, and brandish small weapons such as knives and saws. Nara takes inspiration from post-war Japanese and Western culture including comic books and cartoons, but infuses his work with subtle horror and fantasy imagery, along with a punk rock sensibility.
Masakatsu Iwamoto aka Mr (1969-) is often described as Takashi Murakami’s protege. He is known for both his sculptures and paintings, which feature the Lolita Complex and otaku culture themes prominently. Mr is also one of the more well known ‘superflat’ artists in Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki Collective.
Check out Aric Chen’s interview with Mr for the inside scoop.
Chiho Aoshima (1974-) is an influential pop artist and member of Takashi Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki Collective. Chiho has a talent for building surreal worlds. She uses Bezier curves to create CG larger-than-life teenage girls among other strange inhabitants like zombies, ghosts, reptiles and insects.
“My work feels like strands of my thoughts that have flown around the universe before coming back to materialize.” - Chiho Aoshima
