superflat. the two-dimensional medium of anime or japanese animation

superflat ! contemporary artists have explored and expanded the two-dimensional medium of anime or japanese animation ....................................

......................... shop .................. competitions .............. education ................ interviews ................... snapshots ................... history .......... contemporary

'superflat'
the MOCA gallery at the pacific design center in west hollywood
01.14. - 05.27.2001

contemporary artists have explored and expanded
the two-dimensional medium of anime or japanese animation.
organized by artist takashi murakami with MOCA,
the exhibition features painting, photography,
works on paper, video, computer animation,
fashion, cartoons, and sculpture by some of the
most provocative artists working in japan.
'superflat' includes new projects as well as work from the
1980s and 1990s by 19 artists:
chiho aoshima,
bome,
enlightenment (hiro sugiyama),
groovisions,
hiromix,
Yoshinori Kanada,
Henmaru Machino,
Koji Morimoto,
Mr.,
Takashi Murakami,
Katsushige Nakahashi,
Yoshitomo Nara,
Shigeyoshi Ohi,
Masafumi Sanai,
SLEEP,
Aya Takano,
Kentaro Takekuma,
Hitoshi Tomizawa
and 20471120.

'superflat' has been exhibited at parco gallery, tokyo
and at parco gallery, nagoya in 2000.
the MOCA installation is the first outside of japan.

a central influence on the concept of 'superflat' is the japanese
cartoon culture of manga where enthusiasts are lured into a
magical world that is divorced from reality.
the insistent two-dimensionality of manga often results in an
overall patterning of colors and shapes which provides a parallel
space in which to escape from the pressures and expectations of
society at large.
all of the artists in 'superflat' work between the established boundaries
of their respective genres, for instance where fine art photography meets
commercial photography, where painting meets illustration,
or where fashion meets theatrical costuming.
the 'supe'" in 'superflat' not only emphasizes the planar qualities of
much of the work, but also denotes a special, charged characteristic
or attitude. with 'superflat' murakami suggests a broader definition of
contemporary art in japan and the wide range of activity within the
exhibition can be seen as a direct challenge to the traditional borders
and hierarchies between cultural genres.

koji morimoto has made sketches and animations inspired by
17th century japanese scrolls and statues.
yoshinori kanada's graphic elements reflect the traditional
images in woodblock prints of mt. fuji and japanese landscape by
katsushika hokusai. H
hitoshi tomizawa's particular style of manga is emblematic of a
culture which often prefers to retreat into the two-dimensional
space of fantasy rather than deal with the problems of
three-dimensional reality.

in photography, hiromix has had a wide influence on her generation
of teenage and early 20s female photographers.
she has published several books of girlish photo diary pictures and
provocative self-portraits.
shigeyoshi ohi's striking black and white photographs of projections
of an image of a carp on a waterfall embodies both traditional images
with contemporary execution.
katsushige nakahashi's airplane sculpture made of photographs
is subsequently burned in a ceremonial performance evoking the
trauma of world war II and literally reducing it to 'zero.'
masafumi sanai photographs contemporary japanese life while
infusing images with commercial and fine art techniques.

though kawaii or cute imagery is predominant in japanese
pop culture, some artists have "corrupted" them with often
sexual and violent content.
bome's female characters embody fantasy personas such
as the schoolgirl and cat while henmaru machino's drawings
of hybrid humans have sometimes overwhelming displays of
genitalia.
digital illustrator chiho aoshima's cute girls usually cannot
escape the violence commonly seen in animation and video games.
yoshitomo nara's drawings and sculptures of children with
oversized features are oftentimes featured in adult scenarios.
kentaro takekuma has used the friendly and familiar imagery of
thomas the tank engine in a project aimed at deterring suicidal
commuters from jumping in front of trains.

fashion has also had a significant impact on contemporary
japanese culture. 20471120 is a clothing line as well as a
performance group that stages elaborate large-scale fashion
shows that invite audience participation.
the name comes from designer masahiro nakagawa's
prediction that 'something will happen on november 20, 2047.'

graphic design firm groovisions have created a persona
known as 'chappie' who appears on multiple products and
in an infinite supply of fashionable outfits.
though these boys and girls wear clothes that distinguish
themselves from each other, their facial characteristics
remain exactly the same.

---
related links
the official home page of the artist takashi murakami and the hiropon factory
http://www.hiropon-factory.com/index-e.html

MOCA- the museum of contemporary art los angeles
http://www.moca-la.org/
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

[ november 2001 ]
superflat
stroum gallery,
november 10, 2001 -March 3, 2002
henry art gallery | university of washington
15th ave NE and NE 41st street | 351410
seattle, WA 98195-1410
http://www.henryart.org

---

-------
monthly designboom newsletter
-------

-------
? comments and contact us ?
-------

'chappie 33' (detail) by groovisions, 1998
© groovisions

'cosmos' by takashi murakami, 1998
© takashi murakami

Takashi Murakami