Event

Japanese WolfPost an Event »

The Shooting Gallery

August 16 - September 7, 2008

Info

839 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA 94109
Google Map »
Japanese Wolf
Opening Reception August 16th from 7-11 pm. Open to the public. In the fanciful life of Yumiko Kayukawa, she is able to hang out with animals like best friends. A colorful picture of a pouty lipped, glossy eyed girl hugging a manatee the way a child hugs their grandpa, first grabbed my attention. The connection between animal and girl is captivating. The playfully erotic poses of her subjects, seem to draw you into a world that combines Tokyo fashion, reoccurring themes of 1970’s multi colored flowers and vivid patterns gentle dispersed through the dreamy illustrations. Yumiko Kayukawa’s art has a strong Japanese influence combined with American rock’n roll. Born in the small town of Naie in Hokkaido, Japan, Yumiko’s biggest influence has been the relationship to nature and animals. The panoramic scenery and native animals that surround her home as a young girl inspired many ways to communicate her feelings with nature. The other strong influence was her imagination about rock'n roll culture. Isolated in her small town, the draw to American and British music through MTV, movies and rock magazines, created fantasies of Hollywood. By 16, she had debuted into the art world with a comic-book (Manga) feature. Graduate from Bisen Art School in Sapporo, and with a long list of artistic accomplishment, Yumiko is internationally known for her sweet and seducing art. Using play and curiosity to make a beautiful balance between animals and human beings, she draws inspiration from her youth with a curious innocence and sex appeal often referencing fetishes. Yumiko’s art has been associated with Superflat and Manga but her style also looks very comic book. Traditional Japanese flower motifs and kanji characters used untraditionally stirs up the compositions creating a modern tone to the paintings. With a combination of action and tenderness, fetishes and sexuality, curiosity and playfulness, a story of imagination thats not afraid to get a little dirty and appealing to the senses is made. With an outlook on life so bold and unparalleled, it’s no wonder she is gaining such global recognition. "I'd rather my paintings hang next to rock star pin-ups than on museum walls. Ultimately I want to connect with people all over the world on that level", and she is.