Reflecting a multilayered and heightened personal interest, Japanese artist Mr.’s large-scale paintings and sculptures immerse viewers within imaginary worlds of anime, manga and video games, bringing to life a kaleidoscopic world of cartoonish characters, emojis and internet slang. Positioning himself as a ‘translator’ of otaku culture, Mr. reinterprets this distinctive aesthetic for an international audience. His works are closely tied to his surroundings and environment, from his daily activities, to ‘all the logos and signs in the city, and all sorts of symbols—anything and everything’ ⁱ.

 

First unveiled in 2006, “Penyo-Henyo” Pyopyo Edition "Good Morning, Good Morning" is one of the artist’s many bobblehead-looking sculptures that were on display at Mr’s 2006 exhibition, NIN -STEALTH-. The present lot depicts a little girl with an oversized head, dressed in a white skirt, red tank top and standing on a helipad atop a high-rise building, as small scenes, ranging from dinners to a plane crash and a burglar breaking in, are scattered across the detailed street architecture. Often conjuring a fantasy world that references the quotidian Japanese life, Mr.’s exhibition created an atmosphere akin to a child’s playground with the inclusion of paintings that mimic the illustrated comic styles of Japan alongside multiple large sculptures.

 

 

Kawaii culture in 3D

 

Mr. first gained traction in the early 2000s for his colourful, bright-eyed characters that follow the footsteps of the Superflat aesthetic that is heralded by Takashi Murakami, and is regarded as Murakami’s protégé. The Superflat aesthetic blurs the boundaries between art and illustration with a deceptively simplified visual language, utilising thick outlines and flat blocks of colour – techniques that can be traced back to its origins in Japanese Ukioy-e woodblock prints.

 

An early example of Mr.’s large-scale sculptures, “Penyo-Henyo” Pyopyo Edition "Good Morning, Good Morning" is composed of formal elements that have since become synonymous with the artist’s extensive oeuvre. Featuring an energetic female protagonist with a wide smile, coloured hair and blush-tinted cheeks, her exaggerated characteristics embody the Japanese concept of kawaii to evoke a sense of cuteness and innocence. The neon bracelets and plush toy bag charms could be seen as a tribute to Harajuku fashion – a vibrant, expressive street style that was particularly popular among the Japanese youth in the 2000s.

 

 “I was inspired by the heroic female anime characters, which appeared in the '90s. From the 1970s to 1980s, I noticed that there were mainly male heroic characters in anime. However, from the 1990s, Sailor Moon became one of the popular heroine anime characters. And 10 years later, another popular anime series called Pretty Cure dominated the anime industry in Japan. Hence, my artworks only feature female characters because I want to provide them with power in our society.”
— Mr.

 

In particular, the girl’s sparkling pupils are filled with other cartoon characters, bento boxes and landscape scenery that seem to mirror her personal interests. Mr. explains, ‘From one point, I started painting girls’ eyes in a way that they seem to have a reflection of something, and since then, I cannot paint eyes without any reflection. There must be something reflecting in the eyes of the girls I paint.’ ⁱⁱ

 

More than a symbol of joy however, her determined stance and unwavering optimism defines her as a bold individual and a courageous risk-taker despite her sweet and juvenile appearance.

 

 

In Interview: From Otaku to the World

 

“Aside from just me being an otaku— in Japan, anime, manga, and video games, which used to be a niche, are no longer minority obsessions, they have become quite popularised. I think it would be good if this leads to more possibilities, coexisting and mixing with other cultures globally.”
— Mr. 

 

In 2022, Mr. was interviewed by Designboom on the occasion of his exhibition with Lehmann Maupin, New York, where he delved into the influence of otaku culture on his work and beyond.

 

DB: You have compared yourself to a translator when it comes to otaku culture. What, in your opinion, makes this Japanese subculture so appealing to the international art world?

Mr.: People who are interested in it now are much younger than I am. I’ve heard that people who grew up watching reruns of Japanese anime from the 70s to the 90s, like Grendizer and Dragon Ball in Europe and Asia, and Pokemon in the US, are now getting to a point where they feel nostalgic for these works, so I think they are becoming more and more interested in reconstructing them through visual art.

 

DB: What are some of your influences besides otaku?

Mr.: I have always been influenced by Japanese anime, and I also now get inspiration from mountain climbing and mountain worship. I also find inspiration in The Superflat movement, which is an artistic movement created by Takashi Murakami. To me, the definition of this movement might be slightly different from his (or maybe not!), but I see it as an Oriental or East Asian style that is characterised by using a flat space (2D) that also weaves cultural and historical connotations that inform it, as it goes back to the end of World War II and the birth of Pop Art—after the defeat of Japan during the war.

 

Read the full interview here.

 

 

Collector’s Digest

 

• Born in 1969, Mr. grew up with anime and Otaku culture at the forefront of his daily experience – the characteristic anime style we recognise today originated in the ‘60s, and the fandom culture that Mr. documents in his works began to enter the mainstream in the ‘80s. He honed his artistic practice at the Sokei Art School in Tokyo, graduating from the Department of Fine Arts in 1996. Just the previous year, he was discovered by Takashi Murakami and has been involved with his mentor’s Kaikai Kiki Gallery ever since.

• A consistent participant in gallery shows, museum exhibits, and art fairs since the launch of his career over two decades ago, Mr. continues to inspire an international audience and is one of the biggest names in Japanese contemporary art today.

• The artist’s most recent solo exhibition was with Pheonix Museum of Art in Arizona, USA, which just closed on 12 March 2023.

• Other recent exhibitions include: Mr.: Beyond the Alley, There…, Lehmann Maupin, New York, 2022; Mr.: Quotidianist, HOW Art Museum, Shanghai, 2021.

 

 

ⁱ Mr., quoted in Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou, ‘BEYOND THE ALLEY, THERE…’ AT LEHMANN MAUPIN’, designboom, 12 April 2022, online

ⁱⁱ Mr., quoted in Nadja Sayej, ‘Japanese Artist Mr. Celebrated Anime Before It Went Mainstream, Garage, 20 February 2019, online