Tag Archives: Kaikai Kiki

James Jean Presents New Works in Tokyo Exhibit “Zugzwang”

by CaroPosted on

Hi-Fructose Vol. 15 cover artist James Jean will debut new works in a solo show at Tokyo’s Hidari Zingaro gallery on November 7th. His latest body of work consists of mixed media drawings on paper and a large painting on copper plates. The show title, “ZUGZWANG”, derives from a term used by chess specialists to describe a situation in which a player is forced to make a move to his disadvantage. It’s also a term that Jean has used to describe his creative process, where the more he draws, the more he feels compelled to continue working.

Chiho Aoshima Makes Her Museum Solo Debut with “Rebirth of the World”

by CaroPosted on

You may recognize the fantastical work of Chiho Aoshima as part of the artist’s collective KaiKai Kiki, home to previously featured artists like Mr. and Aya Takano. Opening today, the Seattle Art Museum, in cooperation with Blum and Poe, tells the story of Aoshima’s creative journey with “Rebirth of the World”. It begins 10 years ago, when she quit her job as a member of iconic Japanese artist Takashi Murakami’s design team after her own career took off. Her museum debut, the exhibition takes us from her earliest pieces to 35 new drawings on paper, large-scale prints on plexiglass, and a never before seen animation.

Preview: Zoer and Velvet for Takashi Murakami’s “GEISAI infinity”

by Nastia VoynovskayaPosted on

French artists Zoer and Velvet are both part of the CSX crew. The long-time collaborators have backgrounds in traditional graffiti and their experiences in painting in urban settings inform the subject matter of their studio work, which often deals with the chaos of city life. The artists are preparing for their upcoming exhibition at Hidari Zingaro in the Nakano district of Tokyo. The exhibition is part of Takashi Murakami’s curatorial project with Takumi “Kasenyan” Kaseno, “GEISAI infinity,” a series of short exhibitions spotlighting various artists from Europe and Asia. Zoer and Velvet’s show will be on view April 4 through April 21, and you can see the other artists on the “GEISAI” exhibition schedule here.

Preview: “Live On: Mr’s Japanese Neo-Pop” at Seattle Museum of Art’s Asian Art Museum

by CaroPosted on

Japanese artist known as Mr., a member of Takashi Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki collective, earned worldwide attention by directing the music video for Pharrell Williams’ “It Girl”. His vibrant, Pop Art-inspired paintings of Anime characters and graffiti elements have been likened to “the display in one’s dirty bedroom.” On November 22nd, Seattle Museum of Art’s Asian Art Museum will present his first major museum retrospective in the United States. As a full retrospective of Mr.’s career, the exhibit will include his early paintings and drawings, and film work, to a new series of paintings created for the show.

On View: Takashi Murakami’s “Arhat Cycle Part II” at Palazzo Reale

by Nastia VoynovskayaPosted on

Lauded as the founder of Superflat, Takashi Murakami has built a veritable empire on his instantly-recognizable aesthetic. Brightly-colored, loud and repetitive, his paintings and sculptures have made waves in the art world and their creator has gained notoriety for his sky-high auction prices and flamboyant, showman-like public persona. Murakami recently opened “Arhat Cycle Part II” at the historical Palazzo Reale in Milan, a follow-up to 2013’s “Arhat” at Blum & Poe in LA (see our coverage here).