Meet the Japanese Mash-Up Artist Redefining Iconic Cartoons
Cutesy cartoons, athromorphic characters, and everything in between find themselves in the animated paradise of the Nippon archipelagos. It’s a hub for logos and characters, whether it be in fashion, in gaming, or even in marketing strategies.
Japan is home to the art of manga, anime, and other cartoon phenoms, like the sensation that Sanrio and Ghibli Studio have been for decades. These are just a few of the household names when it comes to the country’s brilliant “kawaii culture”. On top of that comes the artists that challenge and redefine this subculture, like Takashi Murakami among others. A lesser known name is Kousuke Shimizu, a prodigy when it comes to this subgenre of contemporary art.
Shimizu is a Tokyo-based, self-proclaimed DIY artist, and rightfully so: he has a very hands-on approach when it comes to creating his oeuvres, being familiar with mediums like collages, sculptures, silk-screen printing, embroidery and patch-working, along with illustration and much more. He’s also an art director, which itself is self-explanatory viewing his talent and expertise.
Balancing familiarity with distortion, Shimizu’s art is a mix of uncomfortable comfort, as it reminds us of cartoons we once watched as children but blatantly presented in a pop-art-esque manner. Despite being bright and colourful, his works give off an eerie feeling, shaking off the innocent nature of depicted characters, as he plays on with their composition and reviving them in his own way through different mediums.
Although his subjects are often reserved for children, what this artist offers is a mature look on them, questioning the general consensus for what’s “cute” and “appropriate”. Punk at its core, Shimizu is part of the new wave of artists defining the current era.
Thanks to his singular and trippy style, Kousuke shimizu caught the eye of multiple big name brands. He has collaborated with brands like Converse, Stüssy, Comme des Garçons, magazines like Thrasher Magazine and NYLON JAPAN, and most impressively, giants like Universal Studios and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
