While Takashi Murakami’s “super-flat” style seems to have won the world over via its vibrant pop-culture tie-ins (Kanye West, Louis Vuitton, etc.), another school of Japanese art is steadily gaining ground and quickly transforming how the country understands its visual identity.
“Neo-Nihonga” literally means “New Japanese-style”, taking its name from the “Nihonga” style which was [...]

Jamie is a working artist. You know, the real deal - he actually makes his living entirely off of selling his paintings. If you’re in the Vancouver area, check him out. He can be found on the steps in front of the art gallery or roaming around various other parts of the city. Don’t be [...]

Famous for his colorful mushrooms and smiley-faced flowers and known by many as the Warhol of Japan, Takashi Murakami merges traditional art with popular Japanese manga cartoons and anime films. His invented characters appear in his paintings, sculptures and even on giant balloons. His brightly colored artwork also appeared on designer handbags for a 2003 [...]