The World of Tekkons: Hyperpop Becomes Visual
Tekkonkinkreet is, to many, a new beginning.
A dystopian fiction created by Taiyo Matsumoto, the manga, or the more popular animated movie, is pivotal. It’s a mish-mash of subcultures, real and imagined, and its iconic boyish boldness has marked a group of new artists.
This influence is easily discernible in Tekkons [@tekkons] - his artist name stems directly from the Japanese oeuvre, and gives hommage while giving it a catchier kick. Born in 1998, Tekkons is one of the most popular Gen-Z artists on the Internet. Recently debuting in Tokyo, Tekkons is part of this new, unnamed movement of digital illustration and animation that’s been taking the cyber world by storm these past few years.
Usually based in Amsterdam, Tekkons, or Khaled, grew up in the Netherlands in a proudly Afghan family, although Japan seems to be triumphing in terms of inspiration in his art. In fact, the anime Naruto was the first to pull this trigger, at age 15. The philosophy and the graphics in particular struck him, especially as Tekkons was frozen in a place of doubt and uncertainty.
From there, VEWN, Freddy Carrasco, and Masaaki Yuasa have been added to his repertoire, as well as more anime such as the indispensable Mobb Psycho. This unraveling and exploration of media and artists are relatable: one of the aspects that makes Tekkons so appealing is his era-defining pool of ideas, as his fans grew up in a parallel fashion, encountering all these gems and works of art on the same timeline.
Tekkons defines dedication. Shamelessly revisiting his angst and childhood nostalgia, it’s either a burst of feverish colors or manga-style monochrome, which symbolizes well his duality of genuine passion and dissociative suspense. His universe is populated by a catalog of characters, FRUiTS-esque outfits, cosmic glitches, and rapid growth.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
