Kaiho
Born in 1996 in Nagoya city and graduated as a design major at Nagoya City Industrial Arts High School. He studied the rudiments of special makeup and special effects at the Amazing School JUR, and began freelancing in 2014, creating works using special makeup and sculpting techniques. He currently continues to create pieces that explore his own unique worldview through special makeup, graphics, and art direction. He has also been utilizing his sensibilities in a wide range of media fields, including music videos, films, and live performances. In 2020, he was selected as one of the top 3 in the world in the WBF 2020 World Championships special effects makeup competition held in Australia. 
Twitter：@kaiho_frog
Instagram：＠kaiho10
https://www.rana-jpn.com

Special makeup artist Kaiho’s special effects makeup, masks, sculpted objects, and other works have been featured in many artists’ music videos including King Gnu, ALI, Vaundy, Fujii Kaze, yama, Tempalay, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, among others. He explores his own unique worldview through special makeup, graphics, art direction, and other aspects of his work.

From November 2nd to 6th, he had his first solo exhibition, TIPSY, in Harajuku, Tokyo. More than twenty of his works including his first directed video works, photographs, masks, stuffed animals, and other new pieces, limit the grotesque images of special makeup and cloak the artist’s own unique view of pop and realism with an abundant use of color. It presents new possibilities, different from the general image one may have of special effects makeup. 

What kind of special makeup artist is Kaiho aiming to be? We interviewed him about his own personal history at the venue of his solo exhibition.

“I got an offer from King Gnu after posting my works on social media”

—First, please tell us about how you got into special makeup.

Kaiho: As a child, I always enjoyed drawing, making things with clay, and moving my hands. I looked through a Shigeru Mizuki book we had at home one day, and thought that was amazing. That’s how I became interested in monsters and fantasy worlds.

I learned about special effects makeup as an extension of that. It started off as something that just seemed interesting. I then went to a school in Tokyo started by special makeup artist Amazing JIRO after graduating high school. 

—How was it actually attending JIRO’s school?

Kaiho: Taking something that I had been drawing in my imagination and making it look like it exists in the real world by actually applying special makeup to a person’s face and then seeing it move was so interesting, that I got into it immediately.

—How long did you attend that school?

Kaiho: It was a one-year school, so I was taught the basics thoroughly for a year there. 

—Did you become someone’s assistant after graduating?

Kaiho: My feelings of wanting to do something alone were strong, so that’s what I did after graduating instead of becoming an assistant.

That being said, there weren’t any jobs after I graduated. I made art tirelessly in my tiny, 4.5-mat room with a kitchen while I worked part-time. Someone on King Gnu’s team found my work after I posted about it on social media. We worked together after I got an offer to do special makeup for their music video, “It’s a small world”, released in November of 2018. That was how I started getting recognized, and how the jobs started rolling in. 

—After that, you worked on Fujii Kaze, tempalay, ALI, and other artists’ music videos as well.

Kaiho: Yes. I think music video jobs are the most comforting for me. With advertisements, I always feel like I have to create something that’s faithful to what was asked of me. Of course music videos have a general direction, but they basically allow me to do everything. In my case, the design changes the more I develop it, so they usually agree to incorporate my ideas if I suggest them. But in the future, I’d like to be able to do that not just for music videos but also for advertisements and other jobs I’m involved with.

—yama’s mask you created also became a topic of conversation.

Kaiho: yama’s manager contacted me at the time of the singer’s first media appearance, so we really started from scratch. We tried many things. The mask first appeared on “THE FIRST TAKE”. I was worried if it would work, but it got great reviews. Ultimately, I’m happy it’s now become yama’s iconic mask. It was personally a huge challenge for me, and a great experience. 

“I want to communicate how interesting special makeup can be”

—When did you start prepping for this solo exhibition?

Kaiho: I’ve always wanted to do a solo exhibition, but I was thinking about timing with COVID and all. I decided to do it at this time because I had accumulated a lot of artwork and I felt I could confidently say, “this is what I want to do in the future”. I’ve been creating works I wanted to exhibit for around three years, but I decided to hold the exhibit around three months ago.

—I feel like it’s rare for a special makeup artist to do a solo exhibition. What made you want to do one?

Kaiho: I always felt like the general image of what special makeup artists do was skewed. People only think we create zombies, aliens, and injured faces. Personally, I think special makeup can be used in a variety of ways. I wanted people to understand what can be done with special makeup through this solo exhibition. I also wanted to communicate that this is the direction I want to keep going in with my own work. 

—You make stuffed animal suits as well as masks. Do you keep the same things in mind when you make them?

Kaiho: I do. I’m the type to want to make something immediately after I think of it. With this suit, I tried weird dying techniques, and had fun while creating it.

I think everyone assumes that the jacket and the costume on display at my solo exhibition is one piece, but there are barely any people who can make both. Some people may have the skills to make it, but there aren’t any people who actually do it. If someone saw my work and thought, “he got to it before me”, I’d be happy. 

—You’re quite detailed in all of your work.

Kaiho: Actually, I don’t like half the process of making something like a mask (laughs). The process of making masks requires creating molds from various materials and other difficult work. But ultimately, I do this because I enjoy seeing the makeup I do on set become something I’ve never seen before in its final product. Sculpted objects become more enjoyable to make the closer I am to finishing them, which makes me want to work on more detailed finishes.

—Do you make something everyday?

Kaiho: I usually make something whenever I have the time.

—Do you immediately think of ideas of what you want to make?

Kaiho: I do. I first draw a rough image, and then maybe I make it out of clay. Everything starts with a simple catalyst. The paper bag piece displayed in my solo exhibition is a great example. It derived from wondering what a ripped paper bag with eyes and a mouth drawn onto it would look like in 3D. I think like that and let my imagination grow.

—Do you immediately think of ideas of what you want to make?

Kaiho: I do. I first draw a rough image, and then maybe I make it out of clay. Everything starts with a simple catalyst. The paper bag piece displayed in my solo exhibition is a great example. It derived from wondering what a ripped paper bag with eyes and a mouth drawn onto it would look like in 3D. I think like that and let my imagination grow.

—What do you want to be doing in the future?

Kaiho: The first thing I want to try is to create more pieces for work that are similar to what I created for this solo exhibition. My other goal is to create my own original character and make content I can post personally. I can do special makeup, stuffed animal suits, puppets, and even stop-motion animation. I want to try to prepare all of that little by little.

It would also be great if people personally asked for me when looking for someone to do the job. I’ll work hard so that more people will give me job offers saying, “wouldn’t it be interesting to ask Kaiho to do this?”

—Do you have any desire to work abroad?

Kaiho: I do. I often get messages from people abroad in my Instagram DMs. I believe my art can be accepted by the whole world.

—Have you thought about getting involved in Hollywood films?

Kaiho: That’s not something I’ve thought about much. My only hope is that I can do things that are interesting. I want to work on music videos, fashion shows, even plays, and want different types of people to see my work. I’d love to expand my possibilities more broadly!

Translation Mimiko Goldstein
Photography Yohei KIchiraku

The post Interview with Special Makeup Artist Kaiho: Wanting to Present New Possibilities for Special Makeup appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

TENGAone
TENGAone is a Tokyo-based street artist born in 1977. The artist’s name is derived from his realization that painting (GA:画) is his vocation or a gift from heaven(TEN:天). At the age of 14, he began working on graffiti using spray paint. After working as a graphic designer for an apparel brand and for a web design company, he officially started his career as an artist in 2007. His work includes street graffiti, giant murals for commercial and public buildings, sculpture, and graphic design. In May 2018, he participated in Beyond The Streets (Los Angeles), one of the most major street art exhibitions and showed a collaborative piece with Takashi Murakami, MADSAKI, Snipe 1, and ONEZKER. In September 2018, he held a solo exhibition, Blind Spot -blind spot-.
Instagram：@tengaone

TENGAone, an artist who started graffiti at the age of 14 and has recently been attracting attention for his series of cardboard-like sculptural  paintings works using MDF wooden boards, held his first solo exhibition in four years, More Than Meets The Eye, at Kaikai Kiki Gallery from September 30 to October 22. 

The title of the exhibition, “More Than Meets The Eye,” means “there is something deeper/more hidden than one can see.” Regarding the intention and context of the phrase, the artist says that his own experience of immersing himself in street culture, such as graffiti, made him realize how people’s consciousness is only focused on the surface  level and how they miss various aspects of reality of everyday life due to their assumptions, which inspired the idea for “carved imitation-cardboard” works. 

TENGAone, who says he wants to “entertain the viewers” and “change the ways the view of the world,” looks back on his past artistic practices and talks about the intention behind his works.

— I would like to start by asking you about your background. Can you tell us where your name comes from?

TENGAone: At first, I started calling myself TENGA(天画) from the realization that painting is my vocation (Kanji “天” literally refers to “heaven” and “画” means “painting”). That was about 20 years ago. I’ve been working as TENGA ever since, but at some point “that” TENGA showed up and became popular (laughs). As long as I was working in the context of street culture, it was okay, but I wanted to differentiate myself as an artist, so I started using the name TENGA-one about five years ago, as a way of saying, “I was the first to name myself TENGA.”

–When did you start your artistic activities?

TENGAone: I don’t know if I can call it creative activities, but I started drawing graffiti on the street in 1992, when I was 14 years old. Originally, when I was in elementary school, I used to pass by the Yokota Air Base area when I went from my house to visit my grandfather’s house, and there was an unmanned station called Higashi Fussa Station near the Yokota Air Base. The station building at that time was covered with graffiti. And every time I passed by it on the train, I was excited because it was so cool and there was no other place like it. That was my first encounter with graffiti culture. At the time, I didn’t think I would do graffiti myself, but then I started seeing graffiti in movies and fashion magazines, and I decided to try my hand at it as a natural consequence. 

–Were you drawing pictures before doing graffiti?

TENGAone: I did not learn to paint, but I always liked to draw. I grew up in a strict household, so if my family caught me painting, they would look at me disapprovingly and tell me to study instead. So I was painting secretly.

I was also not allowed to read manga, so I would pick up discarded manga such as the comics of Dragon Ball and the manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump and copy them entirely. I would post them on the bulletin board at school, and my friends would be happy to see them. I did that kind of thing when I was in elementary school.

— Did people often tell you that you were good at drawing?

TENGAone: I tried to draw well because I wanted to be praised (laughs). I wanted to be popular, so I drew hard.

— From there, you began drawing graffiti at the age of 14, and you expanded your activities to include creating model figures and presenting your works in the context of contemporary art. Was there any particular impetus for that?

TENGAone: I think it was a combination of many things. Originally, I was wondering if I could somehow make a living from graffiti. I wasn’t thinking about whether it could be done as an art form or not. But there was an occasion when I started to think that I could maybe do what I had been doing in the context of art. About 10 years ago, I went to Aomori on a graffiti trip with friends and we went to see Ron Mueck’s exhibition Standing Woman at the Towada Museum of Contemporary Art. But when I got there, I found more interesting pieces of contemporary art than the ones from that exhibition. I was shocked to learn that there was a kind of art that was “so easy to understand and so pleasing to people”. Even before that, I had been to Art Fair Tokyo, but it didn’t stimulate me much, and I wasn’t attracted to contemporary art that much. But when I went to the Towada Museum of Contemporary Art, the way I look at contemporary art changed, and I began to think, “I wanted to work in this field.”

Purposely lowering expectations toward the works

–When did you start to develop your cardboard-like pieces that you are currently working on?

TENGAone: Five or six years ago. Cardboard has been a traumatic experience for me since I was a child. My father worked in the meat industry, so when he would bring home processed in cardboard boxes that were stained with oil and tattered. I hated my father, so I hated the dirty cardboard boxes he brought home. There were piles of them at home. So, in a way, I hated cardboard boxes.

–Why did you use cardboard boxes, which you hated so much, as a motif?

TENGAone: For me personally, it was something that I hated, yet I couldn’t avoid, or at least I had no choice but to look at. So I decided to use it as a motif. Also, I thought it would be a good idea because cardboard boxes can be found anywhere in the world, and they are familiar to everyone.

–You purposely use MDF woodboard (abbreviation of “Medium Density Fibreboard,” a board made of powdery wood fibres combined with wax and resin binder) to replicate cardboard. Did you ever consider just using cardboard itself?

TENGAone：I am good at not only carving, but also creating or drawing something that looks almost identical tosomething else, so I could rely on that ability. Besides, drawing illustrations on cardboard is too ordinary for surprise.

In terms of my works, people would think, at first sight, that illustration is drawn on cardboard. However, when I tell people that they are actually not made of cardboard, but of MDF wooden boards, the way the work looks completely changes. This kind of thing also happens with graffiti. People are not really care about the graffiti on the street they pass by everyday, but if I tell them that I drew that graffiti, the usual landscape looks in a different way. I wanted to do something similar with art.

–Your illustrations on the boards resemble robot anime from the 1980s and 1990s. Were these influences from your childhood experience?

TENGAone：I wasn’t allowed to watch much anime as a child, so it wasn’t until I became an adult that I watched robot anime. However, I originally didn’t think that what was drawn on cardboard was that important from the beginning. I didn’t need my personality to stand out  from there; rather, I wanted to draw characters that everyone knew and was familiar with. If I do that, the works would look like just “famous characters drawn on cardboard,” and people would not be interested in it. But in reality, the characters are drawn on something that is not cardboard. I wanted to create that kind of impact. So the bigger the gap between what it looks like and what it actually is, the better.

With that in mind, one of the most typical examples of Japanese animation is robot anime. Even if one robot anime ends, a new series begins right after that, which I feel is very ambitious, and revered around the world. I respect that, and I draw my illustrations to reimagine that. I change the design each time and try not to use the same imagery over and over again.

–Do you feel that imitation or some kind of fake is the underlying theme of your work?

TENGAone: No, the most important thing for me is to change the view of the world, and imitating something is just a means to that end. It is just an approach to make it easier for the viewers to set foot in.

I want to go beyond the assumption of “there’s no way you’re doing it” 

–It is a solo exhibition in four years this time, When did you start preparing ?

TENGAone：I started preparing specifically for this exhibition in January of this year. I had been working on it little by little until then, but most of the works were made this year. I wanted to put a lot of energy into it this time. Takashi Murakami told me to “do all I can”. I’m the kind of person who has to be serious about everything. Although I didn’t know if I would make it in time, I decided to do it anyway. Almost all of the works in the exhibition are newly created works.

–Looking at the exhibited works, it seems that the production process was quite hard. 

TENGAone: It was quite hard (laughs). I would like to pat myself on the back for being able to exhibit that amount of works. As you can see, I carved out all of them.

–I saw the video titled POST FAKE you uploaded earlier, and it looked like a continuous process of delicate carving.

TENGAone: Since the beginning of this year, I have been working almost 12 hours a day. I spent most of the time in my studio everyday, and only about 2 hours at home.

–What made you choose the title “More Than Meets the Eye” for this exhibition?

TENGAone: In Japanese, it means “there is something deeper/more hidden than what we can see,” but I was originally looking for a word to express what I do in English. So I discussed it with the staff of Kaikai Kiki and came up with this title.

–Was there anything new you have tried?

TENGAone: The materials I use have been upgraded, but the work itself has not changed much.

— Do you draw a rough sketch at the beginning of the production process?

TENGAone：Yes. I use Photoshop to create something close to the finished work. I use it as a starting point, and develop it in the process.

— It is difficult to fathom the size of your works (i.e. on Instagram), but in reality they’re quite big. Are you particular about the size?

TENGAone: I wanted to make something that would exceed people’s expectations, something that would make them think, “There’s no way you did it.” With that size, people would not believe me if I said, “I carved all this by hand.” I wanted to make a piece that was unexpected. Ordinary people wouldn’t make something that big, would they?

For me, I want to do something that goes against the flow of this smartphone era. I wanted to continue to do something analog, even more so because the times are getting smarter and smarter. I want to value elements such as the largeness and rough texture that come from hand-carving and hand-painting. I want people to feel some kind of futile struggle of human beings, which cannot be expressed digitally.

— If you look closely at the work, you can see the reproductions of elements found  on real cardboards such as oil stains, the torn parts, the fictitious of a manufacturer, and the invoices. You were very particular about the details and thought about the setting associated with them.

TENGAone: I meticulously forge to amuse the people who see them. If you look closely, you will see that there are many hidden meanings and detailed settings. I would like people to stand in front of the works and directly see my works to find out more.

— You also make model figures. Can you talk a little bit about it?

TENGAone：As for figures, I just like creepy things, so I wanted to create something creepy (laughs). Even Murakami says to me, “that’s creepy,” and I enjoy that. I have loved horror movies since I was a child, and since elementary school I would go with my family to watch horror movies that would scare even adults. I was always watching them, thinking, “how could people have created these zombies?” So I wanted to be a makeup artist for that kind of special effect makeup when I was in elementary school.

–Are there any horror movies that shocked you?

TENGAone: When I was in the second grade of elementary school, I saw a movie called Demons at the Koma Theater in Shinjuku. The woman’s face in the movie was so scary that it was a huge shock to me. I still remember it vividly.

— To change the subject a little, people are saying that we are in the midst of “art bubble.” Do you ever feel it?

TENGAone: I guess so, since I am able to make a living from art. But I think the art bubble will burst someday. I want to have the ability to make a living even when it bursts. Rather than capitalizing the bubble, I want to think about how to survive. In order for that, I do think I need to be prepared for it.

–Lastly, this might be a fairly ordinary question, but what are some of the highlights of this exhibition?

TENGAone: I guess the quantity and size of the works. I want people to see everything to be seen. They are two dimensional, but also three dimensional. I want people to experience the work, including the atmosphere around them. 

■TENGAone solo exhibition MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Dates: September 30 – October 22, 2022
Venue: Kaikai Kiki Gallery 
Address: B1F Motoazabu Crest Building, 2-3-30 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00-19:00
Closed: Sunday, Monday, National holiday 
Admission: Free
https://gallery-kaikaikiki.com

Translation Shinichiro Sato
Photography Kohei Omachi

The post Interview with Artist TENGAone; On “Imitation-Cardboard Paintings” Created with Analog Techniques appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Artist SHUN SUDO divides his time between Tokyo and New York.
He is a self-taught artist whose “pop-styled motifs depicted over classic ink brush paintings” has gained popularity. He has done a lot of collaborations with enterprises as well as people from the art industry. SUDO’s fifth solo exhibition in Japan, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” was held at elephant studio in Tokyo. In addition to nine new original paintings, SUDO exhibited and sold three lithograph works and six lithograph + painting works for the first time.

On the occasion of this exhibition, SUDO released a statement saying that, “my heart has slowly been eroded by the news that comes in from the world every day. I painted a picture to fill the wounded part of my heart. In my paintings, I bury weapons, turn bullets into flowers, think about life while painting, and pray for peace. That is all I can do. But if people who see my paintings think that they want to protect a world where everyone can smile, talk, and laugh with each other, that is enough for me”.

We interviewed SUDO at the venue of his solo exhibition to learn more about how he has reflected his thoughts on peace in his works, which at first glance appear to be pop art.

——Did you take the title of this exhibition, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” from a Bob Dylan song?

SHUN SUDO (SUDO): Yes, I did. I created the works shown in this exhibition with “anti-war” as the underlying theme, considering what kind of pictures I, as an artist, could create in the current situation where Russia is invading Ukraine.

I named the title of the exhibition “Blowin’ in the Wind” at the end after I had finished all the paintings. I thought that the philosophy contained in the line “The answer is blowin’ in the wind” in the song linked to my idea about painting in that it does not offer a clear answer. So I took it from the song.

——The works depict motifs associated with war such as grenades, bazookas, and helmets, but at first glance, viewers may not notice them unless they are told, because they are drawn with a pop touch.

SUDO: I don’t like to emphasize the theme within my piece; I like it to be “understandable if you look carefully enough.” For me, the best thing would be if people first enjoy looking at the pop pictures and get energized or inspired. I would be even happier if they understand the underlying themes in the paintings. Some people may think art is difficult to understand, but I hope that people will enjoy my works as they see them.

——I see flowers are strikingly depicted in your works.

SUDO: This is a “button flower,” a combination of a flower and a button, which I draw as an icon of peace in my work. It combines the healing image that flowers have with a button, a metaphor of something that connects the world.

When you look at a jacket as a map of the world, buttons exist as a way of attaching fabric to fabric, so this “button flower” represents my wish that Japan will be able to connect the world.

——Their bright colors like red and orange are very impressive.

SUDO: Since the underlying theme of this project is anti-war, I tried to avoid using cold colors that might give a cold impression, and instead used warm colors that can convey energy. Red is my favorite color, especially because it is the color of the Japanese rising sun flag and passion. So when I see it, I feel energized.

——When you create a work like this, do you put your thoughts on current events or situation in the world into it?

SUDO: Not every time, but depending on the timing. For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in 2020, I wanted to record what I felt at that time as an artist in my work, so I held a solo exhibition called “2020” at the end of 2020. This time, triggered by the war as a significant event, as an artist, I thought it was important to record in my work what was happening, so I decided to hold a solo exhibition under this theme.

“I felt confident about the results of my first lithographs.”

—— What prompted you to try lithography (The printing of an image from a smooth surface of a stone) for the first time?

SUDO: It all started when Masashi Ozaki, a printmaker who has been my friend for a long time, suggested that I try lithography this time. Since artists of the past, such as Picasso, also did lithographs, I wondered what would happen if I tried that old technique myself, so I took up the challenge this time.

——Did you feel confident when you actually tried it?

SUDO: It was interesting. I felt the power of the stones, or rather, I felt as if the stones were making me to draw.

——Did using a new technique expand your possibilities as an artist?

SUDO: Yes, it did. I use a technique called “paint-over,” which is based on the concept of “a contemporary artist doing pop graffiti over a classic painting”. I feel that printing the base of the painting with lithography, which has a longer history, makes the concept even more compelling.

——Do you plan to continue making lithographic works in the future?

SUDO: After doing this exhibition, I was satisfied with the quality of the black-and-white works, so I would like to have an exhibition only composed of black-and-white works, including paintings.

——Do you have any plans to make NFT works?

SUDO: I have received quite a few suggestions about it, and I am interested in it. But I am still not proactive in doing it myself. I would like to try it when the time is right. For the time being, I am making my art pieces just by myself, so I would like people to see artworks that exist in physical reality. 

——In a previous interview, you mentioned that you are planning to establish your base in New York as well. Are you already working on it?

SUDO: I was thinking of doing it after the pandemic, but I am not sure how the situation will develop yet, so I would like to go there once this year, and next year I would like to develop a real plan for establishing a base there as well. New York is a difficult place to live, in a good sense, and I feel a sense of being alive and constantly stimulated. I would like to create works in such an environment.

——Is there anything you would like to try in the future?

SUDO: I would like to try my hand at sculpture and three-dimensional works.

SHUN SUDO
Born in Tokyo in 1977, SHUN SUDO learned art through the sensibility he gained while traveling the world. His works are characterized by a delicate touch reminiscent of ink painting, street-styled pop colors comparable with those of graffiti, and fantastical images of creatures and flowers inspired by movies, music, sports, nature and animations. His works of art, which are not confined to a single genre, have been attracting international attention in recent years. In 2015, he held his first solo exhibition “PAINT OVER” in New York. He has collaborated with many global enterprises, and his creative practices continue to inspire the domestic and international art scenes.
https://www.shunsudo.com
Instagram：@shun_sudo

■SHUN SUDO solo exhibition “Blowin’ in the Wind” produced by WATOWA GALLERY
Dates: July 9-24, 2022
Venue: elephant studio 1-2F
Address: 2-7-4 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00~19:00
Holiday: Wednesday
Admission: Free
http://www.watowa.jp/news/

Photography Yohei Kichiraku
Translation Shinichiro Sato

The post Artist SHUN SUDO Puts His Thoughts for Peace into His Exhibition “Blowin’ in the Wind” appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

COIN PARKING DELIVERY kicked off their career in 2018. They quickly gained popularity for their pop style and began brand collaborations. They have become an artist to look out for, as they have recently expanded their creative field and have delved into 3D works. We asked COIN PARKING DELIVERY to speak briefly about how they started, what they’ve put into their creations, and their visions for the future.

– You’ve done various media interviews in the past, but this is your first time being interviewed for TOKION. So I’d like to start by asking some basic questions first. Regarding your creations, were you always interested in graphic art since you were a child?

COIN PARKING DELIVERY: I always liked going to art museums and drawing, but I did line drawings and realistic drawings, not the more pop-style art that I do now. I never thought that I would become this type of artist.

– Is there anything that influenced you when you were in elementary or middle school?

CPD: I was influenced by Shigeru Mizuki’s Gegege No Kitaro. I didn’t like scary stuff, but I liked the yokai (supernatural entities in Japanese folkfore). I was constantly doing research on yokai at the time. I spent weekends touring sacred yokai sites, and from elementary until right before middle school, my annual Christmas present was Shigeru Mizuki Pottery.

– Do you think your current style is influenced by yokai or Shigeru Mizuki in any way?

CPD: No. I was starting to think about incorporating those elements into my work, though.

In the beginning, I didn’t really understand art. I always wondered why some works of art were so valuable; I was always a little critical of it. But when I decided to go this route in my career, I thought it’s not wise to have no knowledge about it, so I taught myself. That’s when I started to understand why some things had the value they did. In other words, I learned that art represents how society functions. That’s how I became interested in art.

There’s also thought behind my pop drawings. Pop drawings seem “cute” at a glance. I think that’s similar to the real-world condition right now. I feel like the authorities are trying to create a world that can be relished without having any serious thought. I try to express that through my style; it’s pop, but the concept is carefully thought out.

– Does each piece have its own concept?

CPD: Yes. Each piece has a concept or theme in common; they all include the characters Shirai-san or Katayama-san. Shirai-san is a character that represents a moment in time, and Katayama-san is Shirai-san’s friend/lover/acquaintance. The message of each piece is depicted through these two characters.

– Shirai-san seems to be your main character. How did that character come about?

CPD: Shirai-san is a character that represents a moment in time when I figured out what I wanted to do. The character is half dinosaur, half alien. Since I think of aliens as a symbol of the future, and dinosaurs as a symbol of the past, Shirai-san exists as the present, who is a combination of the past and future.

The present is very ephemeral, and the perception of the present and the past is created by these overlapping ephemeral moments. But I think people tend to disregard the ephemeral parts of the present. I created Shirai-san for people to understand the ephemeral nature of the present.

– Naming your characters Shirai-san and Katayama-san is unique, as well.

CPD: Culturally, instead of creating something from nothing, Japan is a country where people tend to be good at developing, say, one to create a hundred.  On top of that, we’re very good at putting our own original twist to things. I thought it would be cool to create a Western-looking character from a Japanese animation lens, so I purposefully gave them very Japanese names like Shirai-san and Katayama-san.

– In terms of naming choices, the name COIN PARKING DELIVERY is also unique. How did you come up with that?

CPD: I never intended to go by this name. COIN PARKING DELIVERY was just the words I put on the front of my first original hoody. That ended up becoming my artist name.

Graffiti artists tend to keep their names to three to four letters so they can quickly tag something and run. But I started creating graphic firstly on a smartphone. So, unlike those graffiti artists, I had enough time to sign my work, which is why I purposefully gave myself a long name. I wanted a word that started with C and something that would be instantly memorable, which is how I came up with COIN PARKING DELIVERY. I also purposefully named my characters Shirai-san and Katayama-san to give it a bit of awkwardness.

– How do you feel about being anonymous?

CPD: It’s not that I want to hide my face. I just don’t think there’s a reason to show it. It’s also easier to live a normal life if I remain anonymous.

– Are you particular about your masks?

CPD: I bought my first mask at a market in the U.S, but then I started making my own. I was conscious of keeping the face similar to the first one, but changed some things like the eye detail to make it more similar to my art. I also made it more realistic and scary. I keep the previous one for when I go abroad. I also make gloves, which are designed to let me use my phone while I have them on.

– You often use blue in your work. What is your obsession with the color blue?

CPD: I feel calm when I look at the color blue. It’s said that blue is the hardest color to handle, because its character changes a lot once its tone changes. Depending on the pigment, it can be so intensely aggressive, or it can suddenly disappear. But that’s why I like it. I like to mix colors and make the pigments I use for my work. I have specific colors for everything, like Shirai-san’s line is this specific number color.

Becoming “a jack of all trades”

– You mentioned in a previous interview that you started creating on the train commuting to beauty school. Can you tell us again how that came about?

CPD: I was such a busy student that I could barely take time off to work a part-time job. But since I needed money, I started drawing illustrations on my phone on my commuting train. I printed those drawings on a hoody, sold them, and many people bought them. That’s why I started out in retail. But I quickly realized it might be disrespectful to anyone doing apparel seriously, so I stopped. That’s when I seriously started my career as COIN PARKING DELIVERY, around May of 2018. Four months after that, in September, I had my first solo exhibition… That’s kind of how it went.

– I see. By the way, what app do you use to draw on your phone?

CPD: I use a desktop computer now because smartphones lack data processing capacity. But I originally drew everything with an app called sketch on my Xperia. Once I switched to an iPhone, I started using Procreate, drawing on my phone little by little. It may be hard for some people, but I had fun doing it. Partly because I didn’t have money, I was just spending time drawing everyday.

– Recently, you’ve been working on three-dimensional work, like the public art in Tennozu Isle.

CPD: I have. I’ve also been doing more sculpture work. I’ve just started working on sculpture. Unlike drawing, I feel that it’s somewhat articulate, which I find interesting.

Some people say that it’s cool to master one thing, but I get bored after a while, and my interests tend to shift to other things. I always thought that was a negative trait of mine, but now I’ve changed my mindset. I’ve decided to become a jack of all trades . As a result, I know I’ll be able to create a new culture unique to myself that wouldn’t have been possible with the knowledge of just one subject. I think the beauty of drawing can be found once you take on other mediums like sculpture and three-dimensional works. That’s why I want to widen my range.

– I heard you’ve always wanted to try public art.

CPD: I’ve always admired sculptures, and wanted to try it one day. Public art is something that involves the people in that city, so it has to be something that makes people smile. It might be impossible to make 100% of people happy, but I think it has to be something that most people can agree on.

You know how you can feel the atmosphere of the city the second you step off the train? I felt like Tennouzu, where my public art is, is a place that relies heavily on imported culture. In this work, Shirai-san is lifting up a pine tree seed. The seed has great significance for me in connecting Japanese and imported cultures. It was also presented at the Diesel exhibition held from 2021 to this year, which is why I created this sculpture in Tennozu with the same theme.

I’m also personally interested in traditional Japanese culture, much of which has been passed down orally. I thought I could also carry that on, too.

Increasing value without belonging to a gallery

– You’ve collaborated with various brands so far. What is something you keep in mind when you collaborate?

CPD: It’s obvious that I’m thoroughly making things I want to make, and things I want to wear. But I think it’s important to create something that the collaborator could never imagine, in a good way. I want to make something that goes against everything this brand thought they would be getting when collaborating with COIN PARKING DELIVERY. And it feels great when that goes well.

– Your first collaboration was with the eyewear brand Police for their interior decoration. Did you suddenly get an offer from them?

CPD:  The person in charge contacted me after seeing my first solo exhibition. Police is a foreign brand, and they had never had anyone change up their store interior before. Looking back, I’m surprised they entrusted a new artist like myself to do it (laughs).

– After that, you’ve been getting non-stop offers from other brands like Montblanc, Puma, Adidas, Nike, Calvin Klein, Sesame Street, and others.

CPD: I think a lot of it was luck. I’m still being offered a bunch of commissions from clients, but first I want to try something I’ve never done before. Recently, I designed a Molten basketball, including the box design and everything. I didn’t have time, but I wanted to do it because it seemed fun. In terms of collaborations, I have projects in the works that won’t be done for years. I want all of those projects to leave a good legacy.

– How do you feel about the recent art bubble?

CPD: I do really feel that there’s an art bubble, and that I’m someone who has reaped a lot from it. But I feel a sense of urgency because I’m not sure if it’ll last long. I’ve been creating my own framework to survive in case the bubble bursts.

I don’t even belong to an art gallery. There’s something about my existence that doesn’t reflect the art world. If I can create more value on my own than what the gallery gives me, perhaps it will become a major trend, and that is what I would like to aim for.

– When asked what you would want to do later in life, you stated that you’d want to build an amusement park?

CPD: I do want to build an amusement park. If possible, I’d want it to be around for a limited time only, three months or so. That way, people can talk about it later and say “I went to that one.” Currently, I’m envisioning two possibilities: a permanent amusement park or a mobile one.

I want to make an amusement park that’s culturally diverse, along with a music festival, something that children and adults can both enjoy. Everyday, there’d be a different event. I think it would be cool if tickets sell out for the three-month period immediately after it goes on sale.

– Do you keep coming up with ideas of things you want to do?

CPD: No, it’s difficult. So I’ve decided to learn one thing a day. I read books, too, but I think it’s important to come in contact with many things, not just knowledge.

-Are there any plans for exhibitions abroad in the future?

CPD: I have several offers. One of them is to have a solo exhibition in LA, I’m not 100% sure if I can do it this year though. Other than that, I plan to have at least one exhibition in Japan.

– Is there anything else other than the amusement park that you want to create in the future?

CPD: I want to make animations. It would be exciting to see Shirai-san moving on TV. I want to create something that children can also enjoy.

COIN PARKING DELIVERY
Coin Parking Delivery’s creative career started in 2018 while drawing on a smartphone app on their commuting train. With a smartphone – an essential item for modern times – in hand, they create works that incorporate questions and ideals unique to this era of “now,” receiving high acclaim both in Japan and abroad. In recent years, they have been constructing their own world through many different mediums, not just with data, but with sculptures, spaces, drawings, and the exterior walls of public spaces overseas.
https://www.coinparkingdelivery.com
Instagram：@coinparkingdelivery_art

Translation Mimiko Goldstein & Shinichiro Sato
Photography Kazuo Yoshida

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In 2015, Mr. Brothers Cut Club started a barbershop wave with its flagship shop opening in Harajuku. They have a close relationship with Schorem, a famous Dutch barbershop, and are well-known in Japan and beyond. As they rose in popularity after opening their first shop, so too did the number of shops. Mr. Brothers Cut Club has two shops in Harajuku, one in Nakameguro, and two in Osaka. Moreover, they opened another one in Los Angeles this March, marking their first barbershop abroad. They haven’t stopped turning heads since. We spoke to Daisuke Komatsu, the CEO of Fireworks, the company that runs Mr. Brothers Cut Club, about how he met Tomoya Nishimori, opened a branch in LA, and plans on taking the barbershop global.  

–Back in March, you opened the sixth Mr. Brothers Cut Club shop, this time in LA, making it your first one abroad. I heard you founded Mr. Brothers by approaching Nishimori-san. What prompted you to do that?  

Daisuke Komatsu: Initially, Nishimori and I had a hairdresser and customer relationship. He used to work at another hair salon, where he happened to cut my hair. I think that was around 2012. Only a few hairdressers understood fade haircuts, the hairstyle barbers specialize in, but Nishimori got it right from the start. He cut my hair in the way I wanted. I felt I could trust him, and he’s been cutting my hair ever since. I only worked with clothes then, and although I hadn’t done any hair-related work, I knew barbershops were a staple in America and Europe. Hip hop was having its moment in Japan, and fades started becoming more prevalent. I figured people in Japan would embrace barbers, so I got Nishimori on board and opened Mr. Brothers in 2015. I was willing to put my all into the barbershop and virtually used up the company money. I’m glad it paid off (laughs).  

When I told friends and acquaintances that I was going to start a barbershop, they were against it. They said it wouldn’t be popular. But I had confidence in my marketing skills and believed we could make it popular with Nishimori’s personality. When it came time to open the shop, we split our roles. I let Nishimori be in charge of everything at the shop, and I became responsible for back-office work like branding and marketing.  

–You opened the first shop in Harajuku in 2015. Did you land on the location quickly?  

Komatsu: I knew it had to be in Harajuku if I wanted to create a culture, but Takeshita Street and Urahara didn’t click. I was looking for a place on the street at the end of Tonchan Dori that leads to Sendagaya, and I found it. I had no choice but to go with it.   

–It’s a great location. People in the know will understand. Did you reference American barbershops upon launching Mr. Brothers? 

Komatsu: I love American culture, but it wasn’t like I focused solely on America for Mr. Brothers. I just wanted to make a cool barbershop. Nishimori then showed me a cool photo of Schorem from the Netherlands. We spoke about how we wanted our barbershop to be like theirs.  

–In terms of sales, did you do well right from the start? 

Komatsu: Nishimori had a decent number of loyal customers, so we did have sales, but the other barbers didn’t have any. They did their best to get more. They would go somewhere every day and hand their business card to people. Many of them still do that to this day.  

Thanks to their efforts, our sales went up. People started knowing our name largely due to an event we had with Schorem on November 9th, 2015. Around 1,000 people came to a venue that could hold 300 people. It was so exciting. Our staff hung out with Schorem staff members and became friends. Since then, whenever they come to Japan and Asia to go on tour, we join them. It’s been a wonderful experience for our barbers.  

The undeniable skills of Japanese barbers 

–When did you begin thinking about opening a shop in LA? 

Komatsu: I wanted to open a shop abroad since Mr. Brothers started. If you have money, anyone could open a shop abroad, but I wanted to make a barbershop that locals could get behind, so I was looking for the right time. 

I started getting to work around two years ago. The person who booked Evisen Skateboards ゑ when PIZZANISTA! opened in Japan was this Japanese person called Masa-kun in LA. He’s an important person who’s brought various LA brands to Japan; he connects the streets of these two places. When I spoke to Masa-kun about my wanting to open a shop in LA, he told me I should visit there first, so I went in March 2021. I view barbershops as dagashiya (a Japanese candy shop) for adult men. Different people get together there and exchange information. Unless you can adapt to the locals there, you won’t be able to succeed. That’s why I want to work with a local who knows a lot about the place rather than manage it directly. When I went to LA and asked Masa-kun if he’d like to run the shop with me, he was initially hesitant. But LA was in lockdown, and most restaurants were closed, so I invited him to drink with me in Koreatown day after day and persuaded him until the early hours of the morning (laughs). He caved in, and we decided to do it together. 

Around June, Masa-kun contacted me, “I found a nice spot.” I went there, and it was in the fashion district, so I decided to open it there right away. 

–Was there a reason why it took you over half a year to open it? 

Komatsu: It used to be a photo studio, so we had to change the entire interior. We were aiming to open it in October, but the people there were lax. So the date got pushed back. Just when it looked like we could open it around December, omicron started going around. It seemed like it wasn’t going to happen for a while, so we postponed the date to March.  

–I didn’t know that was the backstory. Did any of the staff from Japan move to the LA branch?  

Komatsu: The vice CEO, Keishiro Hara , said he wanted to work at the LA shop, so he works there. The rest are from LA. The majority of the customers are Americans from the area. There are quite a few Japanese hair salons there, but they’re geared toward Japanese people. I hope our shop could change that.  

–Have there been any business opportunities at the LA shop? 

Komatsu: Many people told me it would be hard to succeed, but I’ve found opportunities. We have an original pomade called Brosh, and we had different haircut shows in many countries before covid. Japanese barbers are overwhelmingly good at what they do. There are a lot of barbershops in LA, but we can make it if we have the skill set.  

–Are you considering opening more branches abroad? 

Komatsu: I am. One in Taiwan and one in Singapore are already in the works. Ultimately, I want to open a shop in New York. I’m thinking about opening barbershops and schools together. Many countries don’t have hairdresser and barber licenses, and I believe graduating from our school would be considered a major qualification.  

I’m planning on starting a school in Japan too. We’ve already made several textbooks, and we’ve prepared the curriculum. We’re just waiting for the right time. 

We also have a gallery in LA, and are planning on showing works by Japanese artists. Japanese people care so much about the artist’s background, and of course, some people are like that in America, but there are way more people there who can look at an art piece and appreciate it as it is. That’s the American dream. I hope the gallery can become Japan and the world’s hub where we help people get closer to the American dream. I’m thinking of making artists’ art available on our website, like through VR and selling NFTs. I’d be happy if Mr. Brothers could be a place where art feels approachable.    

The strongest asset is people 

–Are you thinking of opening more shops in Japan? 

Komatsu: I’m not thinking of opening more shops here, but I’m thinking of opening some in big cities like Fukuoka and Nagoya. I need to be cautious not to bring the quality of our branding down.  

–Brosh’s collaboration with Wacko Maria caught people’s attention.

Komatsu: I’m grateful we can collaborate with many different brands. Not many barbershops have collaborations like that, so we plan on doing more. More stores abroad carry Brosh now, and I want to host more haircut shows in different countries once the pandemic subsides.  

–How will you differentiate yourselves from other barbershops now that there are more? 

Komatsu: I feel that our biggest asset is our staff. Each one is unique and supported by customers. When our staff is asked what they do for a living, instead of saying they’re a hairdresser or barber, they say they work at Mr. Brothers. Our shop is going strong because we have barbers that love their workplace. The customers become fans of Mr. Brothers, and they go on to convert more people to fans. I feel responsible to think about how the staff can dream and feel like they genuinely love working at Mr. Brothers. 

A lot of hair salons have owners who are also hairdressers, so it’s hard for them to work on branding that takes the future into account. At Mr. Brothers, Nishimori and I have different roles, so I think that’s our strength too. 

–It doesn’t bother you to see more barbershops opening up? 

Komatsu: Well, in my view, there should be more barbershops if we want barber culture to spread even more.  

Daisuke Komatsu  
CEO of Fireworks. Aside from running Mr. Brothers Cut Club, Daisuke Komatsu works on many businesses such as Brosh, an original pomade, vintage store Hedy, and the Japanese development of Pabst Blue Ribbon, the iconic American beer brand. 
https://www.fireworks-japan.jp
http://mr-brothers-cutclub.com

Photography Hironori Sakunaga
Translation Lena Grace Suda

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This February, artist Haruno released his first EP “25”, the first in about a year and a half. He is a singer-songwriter and producer who gained fame on the Internet, known for his sound production for “Zutomayo” and “Sorane”, in addition to his original songs. This album contains 8 songs including “Angels” in collaboration with producer/guitarist Shin Sakiura, “cash out” in collaboration with Singaporean R&B band brb., and “D(evil)” in collaboration with yama. The album is a collection of songs created by Haruno’s deep confrontation with the raw feelings and emotions that come from personal experience, as well as his current views on life and death; leading up to the title “25”.

Daniel Takeda, who served as the overseas coordinator for the brb. collaboration, was our interviewer and spoke on a wide range of topics, from Haruno’s thoughts after his release of “25” to the reasons for newly showing his face, barriers in the Japanese music scene, and collaborations with international artists.

Daniel Takeda: Today, while touching on your new EP “25” released in February, I was hoping to discuss in depth about your internal motivation for creating music as an artist who mainly exists “on the Internet”.  First of all, you finally got to put out “25” to the world, after putting in so much time and energy into it. Do you feel any change in your feelings before and after releasing it?

Haruno：The EP title, “25,” was taken from my actual age, and I positioned it as a turning point to change how I feel about my future into a more positive one, while simultaneously running through my past.  I feel so happy now that I have released it.

Once songs are released, I can’t make any changes to it.  They feel like they completely leave my hands and belong to someone else. That’s why I usually don’t look back on my work, move on to the next thing, and start thinking about the future. 

Takeda：It seems like artists feel that their personal experiences are reflected in their work, and by releasing them, their stories and experiences become a part of others.

Haruno: I agree.  By putting out songs, I feel that my life experiences and thoughts that I put into them become a part of other people. It is almost as if my personal experiences have a soul, and that they’re finally able to rest in peace.

Takeda: People often ask me in interviews if I feel that my work reaches people, just by reading their reactions and comments online.  For me, it gives me a sense of “reality” when people I personally know tell me “I read your article and it inspired me,” compared to when some random account makes a tweet saying, “I read your article”.  So I’m interested in hearing how you gain your satisfaction or affirmation when you mainly only “exist” in the online sphere? 

Haruno: In my case, I’m able to generate a feeling of satisfaction within myself.  I personally love the fashion brand “sacai,” which releases a collection every season, once every six months. I think this is one great example of intertwining the specific season’s theme, the current social dynamics, and fashion. I try to incorporate a similar approach when it comes to creating music.  Making music to me plays a major role in “presenting a personal statement”. Of course, it would be nice if people liked my music and spread it, but since I’m confident about what I create, most of my goals have already been fulfilled by the time I release it; I’m not concerned about what others think of me or my work.

I don’t do live performances, so I rely on word of mouth online for feedback and validation, but I don’t base my self-worth on that, so maybe that’s why I’m able to stay strong.

“I decided to show my face out of a sense of inferiority.”

Takeda: So up until now you never showed your face in photos; did you feel that you could be more experimental or create an ideal image of yourself because of the anonymity?

Haruno: I used to lack confidence in my appearance, so I didn’t want to present myself in front of an audience. In the 1990s and 2000s, it was required for artists to show their face and real name in order to make any kind of public statement, but with the rise of YouTube and Nico Nico Douga, more and more people were able to identify themselves with a “theme” without using their real names.  I saw the potential in that and started making music as a Vocaloid P in January 2017. Being anonymous was convenient for me because I could put out music without taking responsibility for it, for better or worse, and could always “start over” if I wanted to.

Takeda：So what made you decide to expose your face for this EP drop?

Haruno: “25” was a project for me to think about how I want to view myself in the future, and how I could improve my confidence and enhance my own dignity, but when I compared myself to artists that I respect like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Mac Miller, I felt that I had to show my face. I felt inferior to the fact that I was making music anonymously.  It felt like I didn’t have any emotional growth since 2017; although I was expressing myself through lots of songs and on the surface felt like I was arming myself to be strong, but in the end I still felt inferior compared to what I really admired. When I thought about what I truly wanted to become, I had no hesitation in revealing more of myself, including showing my face.

Takeda: That must’ve been a difficult decision to make.  I also think that being judged by things like age and looks is a uniquely Japanese thing.  For example, there are many artists like Moe Shop and punipunidenki, who create an image of themselves through anime-style art and work closely with the artists to create their aesthetic. I feel that this is inversely very Japanese, and like V-Tubers, Japanese people have a strong desire to “become someone else”.  I feel like this is because Japanese society has such strong norms and is so judgemental, and it is very difficult to escape from the parameters that “define” who you are.  You’re constantly defined by what university you went to or what your family is like, and it is very difficult to change yourself (or your body). I think there is a strong desire to escape, a desire to transform oneself to become a different person online.

Haruno: I am probably one of those people, and I also feel that there are people in the Japanese music scene now who have “recreated” what attributes they choose to identify by.

Takeda: This may be a little off the topic of judgment and attributes, but artists like you, Shin Sakiura and A.G.O. (who are featured on “25”) are providing tracks to lots of artists as beat makers.  In Japan, I unfortunately think that the significance of the contributions of these artists is something that only very hardcore fans and listeners understand.  Would you agree that In Japan, there is still a tendency that only bands and singer-songwriters are appreciated?

Haruno: I think that taglines such as singer-songwriter, vocalist in a band, guitarist in a band, etc. still account for a large percentage in Japan for some reason. I think beat makers tend to be underrated and underappreciated.

There are two songs on “25” that A.G.O. produced the tracks on, and I think that is something that really needs to be recognized more. I don’t think there is much interest in such contributions Japan, including in the media. In my case, I started out as a vocaloid P, so I feel that what vocaloid Ps and beat makers do is not that different.  Vocaloid Ps who don’t write lyrics are technically the same thing as beat makers active in the pop scene, but just the name “vocaloid P” garners a lot of attention, and there are many core fans who follow the scene closely.  Personally, I think beat makers should be more recognized, and I feel like that is an issue in the current Japanese music scene. I felt this more this time around as I had lots of people involved in my project, including mixing and mastering.

Collaborating with overseas artists

Haruno: I collaborated with the Singaporean band brb. on “cash out feat. brb.” which has been garnering attention, which I am grateful for; but I do think that there’s not a lot of collaborations like this happening in Japan yet.  Especially after Spotify and Apple Music have gone global, music now truly has no borders. But in Japan, the majority of the market revolves around the domestic market, so I feel that there are still many inward-looking approaches to creating music and marketing it. That’s why I was surprised to see c collaborations like ¥ellow Bucks working with ØZI, and I felt that we had to take our own steps forward for the future of the scene. Still, it is difficult to collaborate with foreign artists, and it was through your mediation that we were able to successfully release the work with brb. this time, and I am very grateful for that.

Takeda: Thank you for your kind words! For example, many artists from Singapore and Taiwan think that the music scene in their countries is small, so they look at the Japanese music scene and feel jealous of such a “rich” domestic culture that is somewhat self-sustainable.  They respect the Japanese music industry, and there are many artists that want to collaborate with Japanese artists, but now the problem is that there aren’t enough bilingual/bicultural people that are able to mediate and direct these international collaboration projects.  

When collaborating to make music, every interaction between artists is a sharing of cultural values, and even the slightest discrepancy can have a major impact on the song that’s being created. Because artists are essentially creating “something out of nothing”,  communication becomes extremely important, and the way the project is directed and the process itself can have a great impact on the final product.

This is why when asking overseas producers and artists to collaborate, it is very important that they understand the culture of the artists that you’re working with, and the context involved in the songwriting process.  After doing a lot of remote work due to COVID, I feel that the quality of communication and cross-cultural communication is even more important since most interactions are now limited to verbal communication and maybe deciphering some facial expressions over Zoom. 

Haruno: That is a task that definitely requires a lot of energy and is very difficult. In the two years since COVID, I feel that the Japanese scene, including myself, has been steadily moving forward in terms of collaborating with overseas artists and creators. From this point forward, I think it will be increasingly difficult because it will test our understanding of  non-Japanese music scenes, as well as our sincerity towards them, but personally I would like to continue learning and understanding more about the music that’s happening in the world. That is why I think it is so important to have someone like you who properly understands and appreciates what we are doing.

I run my social media accounts like a fashion brand account, and I generally don’t express my opinions on them, because music is a great way for me to express my thoughts.  In reality, I do think that I should show more appreciation to people like you and A.G.O. in a big way, by mentioning your names. I have said it in interviews like this, but I feel it’s still not enough. It remains a challenge for me to figure out what I really want to become in the future.

Takeda: Every time I do an interview, it becomes a reflection session (laughs).

Haruno: “25” is a project that encompasses my life to date in order to explore what I want to become in the future, so I feel that finding issues and raising questions to myself is a crucial process. It was meaningful for me to talk with you today, and express my position in this way.  After all, it is not often that you get a chance to look at yourself in a new light unless you’re given such a specific opportunity.  Perhaps I am trying to confirm my own perception by talking to the media like this.

Haruno
A singer/songwriter/producer of the next generation from the Internet, he is a multi-talented artist who writes lyrics, composes music, and even creates his own tracks.His EP “IS SHE ANYBODY?” released in 2020 debuted at No. 1 on the R&B charts of iTunes and Apple Music, and his EP “25” was released in February 2022.In February 2022, he released the EP “25.
https://haruno-official.com
Twitter：@xupxq_
Instagram：@iswhooo
YouTube　https://www.youtube.com/c/harunoiswhoo

Daniel Takeda
Born in California, currently living in the US. With experience in consulting for major labels for artist PR and management, currently works as a freelance music agent and journalist. Topics specialized in their writing are “culture, identity and society”, narrated from a uniquely global and “Gen Z” perspective.
Twitter：@daniel_takedaa

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Every day, we see devastating news coming out of Ukraine, from social media and otherwise. Amid all this, one tweet stood out on my feed. The Twitter user: Hironori Kodama. The tweet shows a portrait of a young man in Ukraine with a quote that says, “I want to create an IT service and become CEO. I thought long and hard over the past two weeks, but I still haven’t changed my mind about what I want to do. I was listening to Iron Maiden right now -20 years old.” I saw one human being’s authentic voice, something prominent media outlets don’t seem to feature.  

Kodama currently takes photos of and talks to people in Ukraine and posts about the situation on Twitter, Instagram, and note. I asked him about the feelings that lie behind his documentation in the country.  

–Could you briefly explain the work you do daily?  

Hironori Kodama (Kodama): I used to work as a photojournalist for NHK, as I’ve always been interested in photography. Now I work as a freelance photographer and shoot things and people that catch my interest. I’m not too excited by so-called commercial photography. I recently started taking portraits and landscape photos along the National Route 4, which connects Nihonbashi to Aomori prefecture. Also, I documented the protests in Hong Kong from 2019 to 2020.  

–What made you want to shoot in Ukraine during the war?  

Kodama: As I mentioned, it had my interest. The news talks about the horrors happening on the frontlines in the country. The invaded areas are hellish. And such information is essential to save lives. It’s also crucial in terms of galvanizing the rest of the world. However, as long as the news industry is for-profit, people [in the industry] must weigh the value of each news story and select which ones to transmit. I can understand their situation as someone who worked in the TV industry. When the scope of information is so extensive, it can feel very distant at times. I have the desire to document the things I see and encounter through my perspective and lens. If anything, I embarrassingly don’t have a great cause, like having a firm sense of justice and saving the world with photography.  

–Your photos make it seem like the people are spending their days the same as usual. What’s the situation actually like there? 

Kodama: You can say the circumstances vary a lot from person to person. I can easily imagine that the refugees’ daily lives have changed drastically. I can’t make comparisons since I don’t know what the city was like before the invasion, but there’s a 10 pm curfew in place, and air-raid alarms go off constantly, requiring us to flee to a nearby shelter each time. It’s mentally draining for many people. Perhaps that’s why they try to live their lives calmly and regularly as much as possible.  

Of course, everyone has a life, regardless of whether or not war’s going on. The news doesn’t show that side, but I do because I’m interested in that.  

–Your social media tells me you’re in Lviv (a city in western Ukraine). Have you felt like you were in danger since you’ve been in Ukraine due to bombs and such?  

Kodama: In Ivano-Frankivsk, the city I was in before Lviv, I woke up to the intense sound of a missile attack at dawn. I can still feel and hear the sound today. Many people remain in Lviv despite the outskirts being attacked numerous times. The city center may seem calm on the surface, but the people here have been preparing for aerial bombings by covering cultural properties and vital facilities with steel sheets.  

–What is the news coverage of the war like over there, in terms of media like TV and newspapers? 

Kodama: Aside from the ongoing war, the local news also talks about how the world’s reacting to it. Without foreign aid, the situation here will become even worse. They’re asking for more support through resources and military aid.  

–Is the communications infrastructure still functioning?  

Kodama: For me, at least, that hasn’t been an issue in places I stayed at like Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk, as well as Lviv, where I’m staying now. I can use my phone with a Ukrainian SIM card without any problems. Regarding the efficiency of wifi, that depends on the hotels providing it. Like in Japan, when too many people use their phones, the signal gets weak. Some accommodations have many fleeing people using the internet, so the connection gets slower depending on the time.   

–Are there any issues related to the lack of food?  

Kodama: There was a shortage of long-lasting food items and canned food in supermarkets in Chernivtsi. Also, different parts of the country and neighboring countries send food to those in the frontlines and refugees, but I hear it’s not enough. I’ve frequently spotted food and resources from neighboring countries arriving whenever I interviewed people. But I’ve heard there’s a severe shortage of medical supplies. 

–-You take photos of many young people. Do you have any criteria regarding the things or people you shoot?  

Kodama: I take photos of people of all ages, not just young people, but the young tend to be more proficient in English. So, it’s easier to ask them about the current situation. I don’t necessarily have any criteria, but I talk to people I’d talk to when I’m in Japan. Also, many people approach and take photos of me.  

Because I conduct interviews on top of taking photos, I would sometimes ask an interpreter to translate from Ukrainian to English. I record the interview with a tape recorder and then shoot the subject.  

–What do you feel now that you’ve entered Ukraine and interacted with the people there? 

Kodama: I feel like I’m questioning how I faced the absurdity that is war in the past. I must ask myself how I’ve been facing the conflict in Syria and the prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Further, I believe I must be staunchly anti-war because Japan invaded different Asian countries in history. That feeling has amplified since I’ve been in Ukraine and talking to the people.  

–Many photos taken in war are tragic, but you shoot portraits. Is there a reason behind this choice?  

Kodama: Photos taken on the frontlines are imperative to convey the tragedy and reality of war. However, I don’t think we should show what’s happening through that medium alone. It’s okay for there to be various methods and perspectives. I came to Ukraine not as a photojournalist but as a photographer. I’m nothing compared to those taking photos of the frontlines, including media outlets in different countries. But there are limited places and areas I could shoot safely without any support. We scroll through any news and consume them only to forget about them thanks to the advancement of social media. For instance, in Japan, the military coup in Myanmar isn’t a topic of interest anymore. Same with Hong Kong and the oppression of Uyghurs. Humans are creatures that forget things. One researcher of international politics said that the more we study the history of humankind, the more we understand how we haven’t learned from history. I take portraits because the simpler something is, the more effective its message is. It stays in people’s hearts.  

During the protests in Hong Kong, I was interested in what protestors built to protect themselves and took photos of so many barricades. In a particular part of Ukraine, a neighborhood watch group permitted me to document Molotov cocktails, sandbags, and caltrop. But the police suspected that I was a spy and persuaded me to take photos of people in the city. I currently post portraits on social media, but I also document the city and rural areas. I hope to present them in the future through another medium. 

–Out of the people you took photos of in Ukraine, who left an impression on you? 

Kodama: A parent with a child who fled to Ivano-Frankivsk for their dear lives told me, “Because of the ongoing attacks, we don’t have a home or computer or anything. We don’t have the data of our precious photos, so could you take a photo of us and email it to me?” I met a 17-year-old girl who escaped from Zhytomyr at a skate park in Lviv, and I still remember how she said, “My skateboard is important to me because my mother bought it for me on my birthday two years ago. That’s why I brought it with me.” It’s probably the most valuable thing for her. She said she found the skate park on her own and came to have fun despite the ongoing war. 

Also, I met a man who fled from Kyiv, and he asked me, “I wonder to what extent people in Japan understand the invasion of Ukraine” in a worried voice. I couldn’t answer him.  

–What do you plan on doing next in Ukraine? 

Kodama: It does depend on the war, but I have no plans at all. Thanks to the advice of different people, I have many people supporting me, including funds for the work I do. I’m so grateful for that. I have some issues with accommodation, though. I hear there isn’t a lot of availability in apartments and hotels in Lviv because there are many refugees. I feel guilty for staying in this city when there are fleeing people who don’t have a place to stay, so I might move to a city with available rooms.  

Because I work on my own and don’t have security, it’s much too risky for me to shoot in a danger zone. I figure I’d continue working within the confines of safety.  

Hironori Kodama 
Born in 1983 in Hyogo prefecture. After working as the news program director at TV Asahi, Hironori Kodama joined NHK. He was also involved in making news programs and documentaries as a photojournalist. Kodama began working as a freelance photographer after he resigned. In 2019, he repeatedly traveled to Hong Kong for ten months since the outbreak of protests to take photos there. His publications include NEW CITY (2020), a photo book comprised of photos of the Hong Kong protests, and BLOCK CITY (2021), a photo book featuring barricades used in said protests (both published by KungFu Camera).
Twitter：@KungFu_camer
Instagram：@kodama.jp
https://note.com/hironorikodama/
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Photography Hironori Kodama
Translation Lena Grace Suda

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Hiroto Ikeuchi is a plastic artist who’s gained worldwide attention for his artworks that combine ready-made plastic models and industrial parts. He worked with Balenciaga on their Spring 2022 campaign and has become a popular figure beyond the borders of art. 

Ikeuchi’s currently holding his most extensive solo exhibition to date, “IKEUCHI HIROTO EXHIBITION,” at SAI Gallery in Shibuya until January 30. It features a conceptual space based around full-body suits created with the development and manufacturing team of the body-enhancing robot company, Skeletonics. Visitors can also experience new immense works created in collaboration with PROTOTYPE INC. Additionally, visitors can learn about the process and inspiration behind his artworks. 

How did Ikeuchi come to create his current art style? What goes into his artworks? I sat down with him at his solo exhibition venue. 

–How did you start creating art?

Hiroto Ikeuchi (Ikeuchi): It’s not like I liked making things as a child, and I wasn’t that good at studying either. I was what you might call a nerdy student. In high school, my art teacher told me about this art school. So, I enrolled in Tama Art University, where I began creating artworks. I made models all through university; that’s the origin of where I am today with creating my work.   

–That’s surprising to hear. Did you have opportunities to make models as a child? 

Ikeuchi: As a child, I wasn’t that interested in making models. The first time I made a model was at the end of my senior year of high school. I didn’t have anything to do after the university entrance exams when a friend recommended I do it. So, I gave it a shot. 

–Do you remember the first plastic model you created? 

Ikeuchi: It was a Gundam plastic model called Qubeley; part of the Master Grade series. I had always liked Mamoru Nagano’s manga The Five Star Stories, and I chose Qubeley because he designed it. 

–Did you then begin creating mainly models at university? 

Ikeuchi: I entered the Department of Information Design at Tama Art University, where I made some animations and two-dimensional works for assignments, which I wasn’t very good at. I didn’t hate drawing pictures, but I preferred three-dimensional things, so I spent most of my time creating models. 

–I heard that a diorama you created when you graduated from university, which was composed of a computer and a model, inspired your current style of combining ready-made plastic models and industrial parts. 

Ikeuchi: That’s right. After graduating from university, I made diorama art from roughly 2013 to 2015. Then I developed a style where I combined plastic models and industrial parts. 

–Was there an impetus for this shift in your art style? 

Ikeuchi: I wasn’t intent on changing my style deliberately. Nothing has fundamentally changed in terms of being influenced by everyday things and making pieces. In the past, that was the computer, but as time passed, that changed to Bluetooth headphones, VR, and such. I incorporate those things into my work. 

–According to your press release, Star Wars, Zoids, and Gundam have influenced you. I can sense that influence in your art style. 

Ikeuchi: The first episode of Star Wars came out when I was in elementary school. That’s when I started watching it. I also watched The Matrix as an elementary school student and was shocked. I watched Zoids when the anime version came out. 

–When did you get into Gundam?

Ikeuchi: I got into Gundam late when I was a high school student. I watched Mobile Suit Gundam 00 when it came out. After that, I figured I should watch Gundam to educate myself, so I watched the entire past series and found them interesting. Within robot anime, I preferred Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01 and Bubblegum Crisis. 

–I also see the influence of cyberpunk. Did you like science fiction too? 

Ikeuchi: Not directly, but The Matrix, which, I think, belongs to cyberpunk, influenced me indirectly. I also read science fiction for a while to educate myself. I like hard science fiction authors like James P. Hogan. I also liked Ted Chiang, Ren Hanna, and others who actively incorporated new things. In terms of women writers, I appreciate Le Guin. 

A plastic artist in a neutral position

–Your job title is a plastic artist. Could you talk about that? 

Ikeuchi: I like that it’s not too grandiose, and anyone can guess what it entails. It doesn’t have a sense of autonomy and doesn’t seem to have any meaning. 

–So, you don’t identify as an artist in the traditional sense of the word? 

Ikeuchi: I don’t have many things I want to do like other artists. Plastic artist sounds fitting and neutral. 

–Your statement includes the following: “…the items used… retain their original function.” Could you talk about why you’re concerned with this principle? 

Ikeuchi: If the original function isn’t intact, the work won’t be authentic. Maybe I disliked using flat surfaces in Information Design classes because they felt fake. 

–When you create a piece, do you first draw the design and then collect materials to go with it? 

Ikeuchi: I usually don’t draw the design because I don’t need it to create my work. But when I’m commissioned to make a piece, I casually draw it for them. But I could use the designs as materials later, so I sometimes draw when I have time. 

–If you don’t draw your designs, do you, say, decide on a base for a pair of headphones and then proceed? 

Ikeuchi: I have different approaches. If I come up with a concept first, I collect things that go along with it, and if I have the materials first, I think about the concept from there. There isn’t a specific order, so it’s case by case. 

–Isn’t it hard for you to get materials in the color of your choice?   

Ikeuchi: I don’t use rare colors, so I don’t have much trouble in that regard. 

–Where do you find materials? 

Ikeuchi: If there’s something I want, I search it on Mercari. Also, some are relatively easy to find, so I look for them at computer stores and such. 

–How long does it take for you to make a piece? It sounds like it takes a long time to finish a large-scale one. 

Ikeuchi: It takes about two weeks to make headphones. For bigger pieces, about a month. It only took a month to make the Skeletonics in Balenciaga’s campaign because it already had a base. 

–You made waves when Balenciaga used your artwork for their Spring 2022 campaign. You must’ve gotten a lot of reactions from abroad.  

Ikeuchi: I leave that to my manager, so I don’t pay attention to it at all. I try not to look at that sort of information. So, I honestly don’t know. 

–I see. Your focus is on your work. It seems like you’re going to have more opportunities to work overseas. 

Ikeuchi: When I used to make diorama art, I had several exhibitions overseas, and they were surprisingly fun. I hope I can do it again. My pieces don’t require language, so I think people will enjoy them abroad too. 

The viewer should enjoy the artworks in their own way 

–This solo exhibition is the biggest one you’ve had thus far. Is this a milestone for you? 

Ikeuchi: If you were to call it a milestone, then yes, it might be. That doesn’t mean I intended it to be anything special. But I’m glad I could do it on a massive scale and that the people who’ve helped me are happy. 

–Do you include any messages in your works? 

Ikeuchi: I do, but I think each viewer should interpret it for themselves. It’s a Rorschach test. It’s better if the viewer has their own answer, and if they like the work on their own accord, that’s fine by me. 

But if anyone’s interested in my intentions, some documents are on display, so please check them out. 

–Recently, NFTs have been a topic of interest among people, but do you plan to make any NFTs? 

Ikeuchi: I’m not sure. If people I know want to do it, I might do it. 

–Meaning, you’re not actively making NFTs? 

Ikeuchi: I don’t think NFTs have substance right now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do it. If people I know want to make one, I’ll cooperate with them. 

–What do you think about the recent bubble in the art market? 

Ikeuchi: A year or so ago, I read a book by (Jean) Baudrillard, and I have the same opinion as him. Simply put, he said something like, “Art has no innate value, and people can add as much meaning to it later. It’s compatible with capitalism, which is why art circulates the way it does.” It resonated with me because I also believe that artworks have no intrinsic meaning. We can attach infinite values to art precisely because there’s no meaning. With headphones, their function defines the value. People can freely determine that with art, and I think that’s why it exists the way it does today. 

–I see. Lastly, what kind of pieces would you like to create in the future? 

Ikeuchi: I don’t necessarily have a vision of what I want to make; I make what I think is good based on what people suggest. I made the cockpit piece (“TYPR00R”) in collaboration with PROTOTYPE INC, and the CEO of it has a grand vision, so it’d be interesting to manifest it. 

–Could you be more specific about that? 

Ikeuchi: The CEO was born in the 60s, so 70s science fiction influenced him. When he mentioned how he’d like to recreate something from the science fiction of that era, I thought it was very intriguing. I want to work with him on this because I can realize it visually. In particular, I want to make a functional bike with a computer in it, like the cockpit I made. 

Hiroto Ikeuchi 
Hiroto Ikeuchi was born in Tokyo in 1990 and graduated from the Department of Information Design, Tama Art University. Ikeuchi spent most of his school days creating plastic models. For his graduation project, he made a hybrid diorama combining plastic models centered on the notion that the interior of a computer, the most familiar object to him, looked like a secret base. After winning the Excellence Award in the Entertainment Division at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival, he was invited to partake in Ars Electronica, the top global media art event, and has garnered high praise both in and out of the country. 
Twitter：@ik_products
Instagram：＠_ikeuchi

■IKEUCHI HIROTO EXHIBITION
DATES: Saturday 8th January – Sunday 30th January 2022
LOCATION：SAI
ADDRESS：6-20-10  JINGUMAE  SHIBUYA-KUTOKYO
RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK South 3F
OPEN：11:00〜20:00
https://www.saiart.jp
https://www.saiart.jp/top/pdf/press.pdf

Translation Lena Grace Suda
Photography Yohei Kichiraku

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The fashion label ANREALAGE is the talk of the town, offering technology-enhanced shows for each new collection. The brand was started by designer Kunihiko Morinaga in 2003 and combines the terms “A REAL,” “UNREAL,” and “AGE” . Since its inception, the brand has gained recognition around the world as a cutting-edge fashion-tech brand.

At the launch of its 2022 Spring / Summer Collection, which was held in October last year, the brand collaborated with the movie “BELLE“, directed by Mamoru Hosoda to give viewers the fun experience that only a digital show can provide. As the metaverse has recently become the next big thing in the tech world, designers and consumers are wondering how fashion will exist in the virtual world and how the industry will be shaped by technology. Furthermore, could designers release fashion NFTs in the future? We spoke with the innovator Morinaga about his vision of the future of fashion.

——When did you decide to participate digitally in the 2022 Spring / Summer Paris Fashion Week, which was held in October this year?

Kunihiko Morinaga (Morinaga): Up until about half a year ago, I thought that I might be able to do a physical show. However, after Japan declared a state of emergency in June due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought that it would be difficult to attend physically and decided to put on a completely digital show.

——Due to this prolonged pandemic, you have presented three collections since Spring / Summer 2021 digitally. How do you feel?

Morinaga: With in-person fashion shows, I can immediately take the temperature of the audience, so I can immediately tell if it is a good show or not. But with digital shows, you don’t get that feeling, and in that sense, I feel a little sad.

On the other hand, anyone can see a digital show, even people who are not usually interested in fashion, whereas, with physical shows, the audience is limited to a small number of people. And I can feel another form of enthusiastic atmosphere from SNS and comments by the viewers. For the 2022 Spring / Summer Collection, the main show and backstage footage got about one million views. I don’t think we would have been able to reach that level with a regular physical show.

——As you said, your collaboration with “BELLE” has attracted a wide range of people from outside the fashion industry, including anime and art lovers.

Morinaga: Thankfully, we received many positive responses from within not only the fashion industry but also the art industry. We even received an inquiry from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

——While some brands just show runway images at their digital shows, this collaboration with “BELLE” was a truly unique way to digitally present a collection. When did you start planning this collaboration?

Morinaga: I originally got involved in the production of “BELLE” in March 2020, when I designed a dress for the main character, Belle. Then, after Paris Fashion Week went digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought it would be great to do something with animation. The release of the film was also postponed by the virus. It was scheduled to be released in July last year, so we talked about doing something together at that time.

——Was director Hosoda also happy to collaborate?

Morinaga: That’s right. In “BELLE“, we made good use of ANREALAGE, so Hosoda asked us to make full use of the film in the world of ANREALAGE. It was the right time for his film to be released overseas, so we were able to collaborate.

——There may be some restrictions when you collaborate with such a major piece of content. How was the experience for you?

Morinaga: We had a limited production period and budget constraints. Making 10 minutes of animated content takes a lot of people, so the time and budget required were higher than I expected. It was my first attempt, so I had a lot to learn.

——By the way, did you specify the texture of the clothes in the film?

Morinaga: I had a lot of opinions on how to express the texture and weight of the fabric since there is no gravity in the digital world, but I made almost no changes to the finished product. I thought that was very impressive.

Technology allows for more freedom in making clothes.

——The sale of NFTs of the digital looks that you presented was also fascinating. I couldn’t imagine how much they would fetch, but a total of 11 pieces were purchased by the NFT Naruto Museum for 50 million yen. When did you start thinking about selling the pieces as NFTs?

Morinaga: Right from the start of this collection. I realized that the original digital looks of the animation, which were created through this collaboration, would have global value, so I thought of making them into NFTs if I could. I thought they would be worth a certain amount of money, but, to be honest, they turned out to be worth more than I had imagined.

——Recently, NFTs have started to gain momentum in the fashion industry. Do you see the potential of these types of products?

Morinaga: I have just started creating NFTs, but I feel that they have a lot of potential. That applies not only to NFTs but also to digital technology in general. Naturally, physical clothes will remain, but I think the key to business will be digital technology. To put it bluntly, in the fashion business, as the value of a brand increases, the price often exceeds the value of the thing, particularly in the case of long-established brands. For example, I think that was the case with the perfume business. I feel that this approach to fashion can be very effective, and I think that the focus of the fashion industry will shift to NFTs and digital works in the future.

——When Animal Crossing: New Horizons became popular during the COVID19 pandemic, the fashion in the game became a hot topic. Recently, Facebook announced that it will focus on the metaverse (i.e., a virtual space) and people have begun to talk more about fashion in the virtual world. Do you see further potential in this area? 

Morinaga: The virtual world will continue to expand, and I believe that people will become more conscious of how they dress and present themselves virtually. There are still many things that fashion brands can do in response to this. That’s why I intend to actively take on this challenge at ANREALAGE as well.

——Do you play video games such as Animal Crossing?

Morinaga: I don’t play them at all. <laughs> I don’t even have a personal social media account. I think there are two extremes to my personality: the analog side and the digital side. My fashion expression is digital, but, perhaps as a reaction to that, my private life is very analog, and I like physical communication. I often write letters to people.

—— I heard that you were originally influenced by Keisuke Kanda before you started your fashion career and that you liked the rock band Ging Nang Boyz. Both place a strong emphasis on physicality, which made me wonder about your transition from analog to digital. 

Morinaga: Looking back now, I pushed myself to go digital. I entered the world of fashion because I admired Mr. Kanda and was guided by him, so I have always been aware of his existence. I think that our relationship is like the two sides of a coin. Mr. Kanda sewed his work by hand, and I thought it would not be interesting or meaningful for me to go the same way as him. So, I decided to go the other way and started to consciously use digital technology. We both have our own ways of doing things, but since we started making clothes, we have always been conscious of being friends fighting together.

——At ANREALAGE, you have made a big splash with your use of technology, such as glowing clothes and clothes that change color depending on the wearer’s body temperature. How do you think technology will impact the evolution of fashion?

Morinaga: Of course, there is the evolution of materials, but now technology is also impacting the way clothes are made. Instead of the conventional physical way of making clothes, we first design them using 3D imaging software, then send that image to the factory to have the actual clothes made. Thanks to this method of production, the data exchange with Studio Chizu for this collaboration with “The Dragon and the Freckled Princess” went smoothly. I feel that by going digital, we can reduce the waste of materials.

The evolution of technology has also expanded the range of fashion that I can express. Brands are not generally valued for their great technology, but since we are working on the theme of “unreal = extraordinary,” technology is a good match for us. I feel that the freedom of making clothes digitally has expanded the range of expression more than ever before.

Various connections make ANREALAGE more attractive.

——Beyond your collaboration with Hosoda, ANREALAGE has produced several fascinating collaborations with cutting-edge creators. You’ve been working with filmmaker/photographer Yoshiyuki Okuyama for a long time, haven’t you?

Morinaga: I think I first met Okuyama in around 2010. He was 19 years old at the time, and he came to my studio unexpectedly, without an appointment. But at that time, I refused all unannounced visitors, so I asked him to leave. Later, I received a very enthusiastic e-mail telling me why I should work with him to take pictures for ANREALAGE. So, I asked him to come and show me his work one more time. That’s when I started having him take photos of my collections and shows.

——Many of those photos were used in the book ANREALAGE: A&Z. When you first met Okuyama, did you imagine that he would achieve such high recognition?

Morinaga: When I was first shown Okuyama’s photos, they were so good that I couldn’t believe they were taken by a 19-year-old photographer. I remember it was really shocking.

——When did you first meet Ichiro Yamaguchi from Sakanaction, who is in charge of the music for the show?

Morinaga: The first time we worked together was in 2013. We created glow-in-the-dark costumes for Sakanaction’s national tour. Then, I asked them to be in charge of the music for my show from the 2016 Spring/Summer Collection held in Paris in September 2015. Since then, they have provided the music for all our shows.

——So, the creation of their costumes led to your current collaboration, right? And how did you start working with Yurina Hirate?

Morinaga: Looking back, my first contact with Hiraide was also designing a costume for her. I was asked to make costumes for a music program, so I talked to Ms. Hirate and made the costumes. In the end, Ms. Hirate was injured and couldn’t perform, so we couldn’t do what we wanted to do and we both felt frustrated. So, I decided to give shape to what hadn’t come to fruition, and this time I offered her the chance to be a model for “ANREALAGE”. And that’s how she ended up as a model for the brand.

——You’ve also featured Hirate in campaigns for the ANEVER brand that you run with Onward. Another collaborator for your work on ANEVER is Travis Japan. Did you make their costumes as well?

Morinaga: Yes, Travis Japan first asked me to make their costumes, and then I asked them to model for ANEVER.

——I see. So, it wasn’t a deliberate decision, but rather a series of connections. By the way, how would you describe the division between ANREALAGE and ANEVER?

Morinaga: ANREALAGE offers something extraordinary, so, through the collections, I hope to create a world that loosens up people’s everyday lives. On the other hand, the motif of ANEVER is flowers, and with that brand, I am seeking to add something special while still being conscious of everyday life. In the future, I would like to work with various companies to create brands other than ANEVER, while maintaining the current size of ANREALAGE.

——Don’t you want to make ANREALAGE even bigger?

Morinaga: We are not trying to make it very big. Although the brand is small, it would be great if we could have an unprecedented impact on the world through our work. I want ANREALAGE to be a brand that lives on for a long time. Even if not many people wear our clothes, I hope that one person will be wearing them in 100 years.

“There are opportunities in what everyone else doesn’t do.”

——As for the fashion industry overall, the current mood is pessimistic due to the pandemic. How do you feel about this?

Morinaga: The coronavirus has had a huge impact on everyone. We have fewer opportunities to meet people and go out. As a result, people’s awareness of fashion has gone down. But we are slowly going back to our ordinary lives, so I think our interest in fashion will return quickly.

——Since we are all spending more time at home due to the pandemic, comfortable clothes and loungewear are selling well. Do you have any plans to release such items?

Morinaga: I’m not thinking about that because, as I said, the theme of the brand is “unusual”.

——I think it’s important to have both items that sell well and items that function as art pieces or as a statement of the brand. What do you think about finding a balance between these extremes? 

Morinaga: I don’t think it makes sense for ANREALAGE to make what other brands are making just because it sells. On the contrary, people are still not doing much digital work, so I feel there is an opportunity in that direction. The beauty of fashion is that you can shine even if your business is not that big.

——Do you have any thoughts on the future of ANREALAGE?

Morinaga: Now that collections are being presented digitally due to the pandemic, I think the way of competing has changed. So, I hope we can continue to do interesting things using digital technology in the way that ANREALAGE has. I would like to do a physical show next, though.

Kunihiko Morinaga
Designer Kunihiko Morinaga was born in Tokyo in 1980. He graduated from Waseda University, in social sciences. While going to university, he started learning fashion design at Vantan Design Institute. In 2003, he launched his own brand “ANREALAGE”. ANREALAGE is a combination of the words “REAL”, “UNREAL” and “AGE”. After presenting collections in Tokyo, ANREALAGE started presenting collection at Paris Fashion Week from 2014, and currently keeps presenting collection in Paris. In 2019, he was selected as finalist for the LVMH Prize in France, and won the 37th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix in the same year. In 2020, ANREALAGE presented collaboration collection with Fendi from Italy for Milano Fashion Week. He also designed official Japan uniform for Expo 2020 Dubai starting from 2021. In the film “BELLE” directed by Mamoru Hosoda, he works on the costume design of the main character, Belle.
https://www.anrealage.com
Twitter：@ANREALAGE_
Instagram：@anrealage_official

Photography Hironori Sakunaga
Translation Shinichiro Sato

The post Kunihiko Morinaga’s latest ANREALAGE collection sees the potential of the digital age: Expanding fashion through a collaboration with “BELLE”. appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

In 2012, she started her career as a fashion and accessory designer under the name “millna(which literally means “don’t look”)”. Her “dark” style went viral on SNS, and led her to a collaboration with Village Vanguard. Simultaneously, she has performed as a producer for the doll fashion model Lulu Hashimoto and worked on her own as “Doll GAL millna”, attracting attention not only from Japan but also from the world. In September of this year, she opened her own store “Kawaii Cult” in Koenji, Tokyo, and continues to take on new challenges.

On the occasion of the opening of the “Kawaii Cult,” we talked to her about how she started her activities as “millna”, her works associated with dolls, and her underlying “desire for recovery”.

——What would you say if someone asked you what your current title is?

millna: I guess I’m a fashion designer now. I also call myself an artist, a fashion creator or a doll maker. But for what I’m doing now, I think fashion designer is the one that fits me best. 

——The name “millna” has a quite strong impact. Where did your name come from?

millna: I decided on the name quite casually. At the time, the names that combined a negative words and “chan” such as “Tsurai-chan” (the term “tsurai” means painful in Japanese) and “Shindoi-chan” (the term “shindoi” means tired in Japanese) were popular. In my case, I had a huge inferiority complex about my appearance, so I decided to go with “Miruna-chan.” It was around when I was a senior in high school that I started working under the name Miruna-chan.

——Were you aiming to be a fashion designer from the beginning?

millna：I’ve always loved fashion, but in the beginning I would just draw illustrations of clothes that I thought would be great. When I uploaded those illustrations on SNS, the response gradually increased, which made me think that I might be able to do this. So I went on to study fashion at university. From my first or second year at university, I started using the money I saved from my part-time job to order clothes from sewing factories and start making my own clothes.

At the same time, I was also making handmade accessories, which suddenly became popular on SNS. Not only at events of handmade products, but also at live concerts, clubs, and on the streets, I would often see people wearing them. That’s around when I was approached by the bookshop Village Vanguard and others, and my works were available at 18 stores nationwide, and I also collaborated with them.

——What do you think was the reason for the popularity of your accessories at the time?

millna: The “Razor Letter Bracelet,” an item that had a heart-shaped charm with blood-like design and cutter blade inside, was very popular. At the time, I was reflecting the dark side of myself in my work, and I think people could relate to that. It was still a time when young people could express their painful inner feelings on social media.

Also, subculture and handmade products were particularly popular at the time, so I think I was lucky. The enthusiasm of the handmade community back then was so great that it’s hard to imagine now. Of course, I’m sure it’s still popular today, though. I was just an ordinary girl with no good connections or money, but I made something I really wanted to make and sold them on the Internet, and as a result,  it became loved by many people. It’s just a dream come true, isn’t it?

——When your accessories went viral, what did you do after that?

millna：In parallel with accessories, my clothes also became popular. I didn’t have a brand name at the time, but as I was making clothes, I realized that I needed one. Haha. So, in 2016, I decided to put a name “hakuchum tokyo” to my brand, and I released some products as a test. After that, people seemed to trust me as a brand, and I held a two-week pop-up store at Laforet Harajuku, and I was getting more and more recognition.

I was at the age of 22 and was in my senior year of college when I opened the pop-up store and I was earning enough money to live comfortably. But I didn’t have any other option but looking for a proper job, so I did job hunting. But I had nothing but terrible memories in its process. So I decided to work as a freelancer instead of being hired by a company because I didn’t want to go through such a negative experience anymore. 

——Did your parents ever speak against it?

millna：Yes, they did. I think my parents were just worried whether I could really make a living with it. Since I had quite a bit of savings at the time, I had to show them my bank book to convince them. Haha.

“Decorating the body that is different from the one I wanted to choose to make it my true self”

——Then you started performing as a producer of a doll fashion model while working as a fashion designer, right?

millna: Around the same time I launched “hakuchum tokyo”, I also started producing a doll fashion model named Lulu Hashimoto. Due to its rarity, it was picked up by the media both in Japan and abroad, and my works associated with a doll model got a lot of attention. I started to do more doll works for overseas clients, and from that time on, it became my main focus. I had always loved dolls, so I was confident that I could make them cute, but I never imagined that they would attract so much attention from all over the world. 

——After that, you put on the mask yourself and work as “Doll GAL millna”, right?

millna: I produced Lulu Hashimoto partly because I wanted to tell people that no matter how you’re born, you can live your life any way you want, but having someone else become a doll doesn’t fit that concept, and I also thought it would be more fun if I could simply talk as a doll. So around 2018, I put on a doll mask and started working as “Doll GAL millna”. The concept was to decorate my body that was different from the one I wanted to choose and to make it my true self. But recently, I ended my doll activities because I felt that I no longer needed to wear masks.

——Was there something like an inferior complex about yourself at the root of your doll activities?

millna：Well, it was not about hating myself. Rather, I just wanted to get closer to my ideal figure not in a negative way, but in a more positive way.

——Have you had this kind of feeling in mind since you were a child?

millna: I guess I have always wanted to be the ideal me if I could. That’s why I started wearing gal(gyaru) makeup when I was in junior high school.

——When you say “gal”, do you mean styles featured in a gal fashion style magazine “egg”?

millna: I wasn’t interested in “egg”, but the magazine I was into was “Koakuma ageha”. Although I was told by some authentic gal that the styles of “Koakuma ageha” was not a real gal, but in my mind it was. “Koakuma ageha” was popular when I was in junior high and high school, and there weren’t many magazines in which you could learn how to makeup at the time, so I read and studied how to do the doll-like makeup in this magazine.

——However, I think that your current style can be described as “kawaii” with a touch of “lolita” and seems to have no connection with the “Koakuma ageha” style.

millna: Actually, the highest level of praise in “Koakuma Ageha” was “doll” or “doll face.” When I was talking with a gal, there was a consensus that Koakuma ageha has extremely doll-oriented aesthetic. The “princess gal” style is particularly close to Lolita style. So, in my mind, gal and lolita are inter-connected, and they both pursue cuteness to an excessive degree.

Not a desire for transformation, but a desire for recovery

——Recently you’ve been showing your real face without extreme makeup in your activities. What made you change your mind?

millna: It’s probably a good time to disclose this, but I had plastic surgery when I was around 23. When I first had the surgery, a part of me still wasn’t satisfied with the result, but I gradually got used to it. My biggest inferior complex disappeared.

In my mind, plastic surgery is like a good luck charm. The fact that my face has changed is not very important. Rather, what is more important is the fact that you can feel you are cute because of the plastic surgery. After realizing this, I began to change my mind and thought that it’s okay to show my real face. There are some people asking me why I started to show my real face, but I don’t mind showing it. Rather, I think it’s more unnatural to hide it.

——The episode in which you talked about plastic surgery on YouTube were also went viral. Can you say something about it?

millna: I think the way plastic surgery is treated on the Internet is a little morbid. But I don’t intend to simply affirm plastic surgery, saying that you’re not pretty unless you have it, or that you have to keep getting it. I didn’t want to infuse this negative way of thinking into my fans by disclosing my experience of plastic surgery. Recently, I think plastic surgery is being treated in a more positive context than ever before. However, I think it’s better to go to a right place and have it after careful consideration. I’ve done a lot of research myself.

——You also did things like pink-skinned gal in your YouTube channel.

millna: I’ve loved pink since I was in elementary school, but I used to think to myself, “I’m not cute, so I shouldn’t have anything cute.” So I couldn’t wear anything pink or frilly as a child. So I guess it’s partly a reaction to that, but I can’t express my love for pink fully even if my clothes are all pink. So, I did it by making my skin pink as well.

——It must be quite tiring to make your skin pink as well.

millna: It needs a lot of work. I am using a pink grease paint sold at a place called “Sanzen” that sells cosmetics for the stage. But I don’t do it anymore because I often get this paint on my clothes and now we have to wear a face mask due to the pandemic.

——As you answered in another interview before, you don’t think becoming a doll is based on a desire for transformation, right?

millna: No, I don’t thinks so. I call it a desire for recovery. It’s a feeling of returning to the person you were supposed to be. I mentioned the body that is different from the one I wanted to choose earlier, but I don’t believe that the body I was born with is my own. It looks like mine, but I feel that it is a false body. So when I make my body pink or become a doll, I think I’m trying to bring back the person I was supposed to be. That’s how I feel.

——I think some people with such desires go for processing apps or virtual world, what do you think about that?

millna: I’ve tried a virtual YouTuber once, but I quit because I wanted to exist in the real world. I couldn’t get into it because I didn’t feel like the body in the virtual world was my own. So for the time being, I think I’ll stick to the physical. I think that’s the root of who I am.

——What is the purpose of your YouTube channel?

millna：I started it because I wanted to talk to everyone as if we are friends, and now I think YouTube is the place where I can dress and do whatever I want.

—— I think your commentaries on YouTube have also gained popularity as well. But I feel your attitude is distinct because you are not just there for your audience, but you are more like “I am me” and “you are you”. 

millna: You are right. Thankfully, there are people who adore me, but I don’t want them to think that what I say is absolute. I want them to think for themselves and do what they want.

“Kawaii Cult” is a place where people can gather like an event

——Why did you decide to open a physical store, Kawaii Cult, in Koenji in September, utilizing crowdfunding?

millna：I’ve always wanted to open a physical store, but I wasn’t sure whether it would be successful. But in May of this year, I was spoken to by an acquaintance, and we worked together to prepare for the launch of a physical store. In the end, we couldn’t open the store, but I got the feeling that I could do it myself. So I looked for a place in my favorite town Koenji, and decided to open my own shop.

——What kind of items do you sell in your store?

millna：At the moment, it consists of vintage clothing and my original items. Basically, I’m thinking of selling my original products as my main focus, and I plan to add more original items in the future.

——How did you come up with the name “Kawaii Cult” for the store? 

millna：I’ve been running an event called “Kawaii Cult” since around 2018, and I decided that if I were to open my own store one day, I would name it “Kawaii Cult”. I’m hoping it will be a place where people can gather like at events, but I also want people who don’t know me to come.

——Finally, do you have any plans for your life in the future?

millna：I don’t want to think about it, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out when the time comes. I’m a very optimistic person, so I don’t have any special plans.

——When I heard about your inferior complex, I thought you tend to think negatively, but actually you are quite positive.

millna: Looking back, I think I’ve always been positive. I didn’t like my face, and I was making fun of myself, so how I output was negative, but I think I had a positive mindset underneath. I’ve always tried to change the things I didn’t like into something positive, and I think that’s what led me to where I am today. Now that I finally have a physical store, which was my dream, I would like to keep working hard on it.

millna
millna is a fashion designer who started presenting her works on SNS under the name “millna” in 2012 while still in college. She launched her apparel brand “hakuchum tokyo” in 2016 and held a pop-up store at Laforet Harajuku. She also started performing as a producer for doll suit fashion model “Lulu Hashimoto”, and also started her own activities as “Doll GAL millna” around 2018. In September 2021, she opened her own store “Kawaii Cult” in Koenji, Tokyo.

https://www.millna.net
Twitter：@mi_te_yo
Instagram：@mi_te_yo
YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/c/millna/featured

Photography Yohei Kichiraku

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