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Doe-eyed floating heads of adolscent cartoon girls in pastels have become somewhat iconic of Japanese artist Mr.'s own artistic practice, as he develops away from his previously more sexualised works. However, he continues to show traces of his "Superflat" origins; coined by another Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami, the "Superflat" movement refers both to a two-dimensionality in Japanese visual art, but also a connection to the way in which cultural references from the East and West are appropriated seamlessly in Japanese pop culture.
Ahead of his first exhibition at Lehmann Maupin in Hong Kong entitled 'Floating in the Air in the Vicinity of a Convenience Store', we speak to Mr. about how he came up with his exhibition title and what about Japanese Otaku culture that continues to inspire him.
A scene from Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence)
Image courtesy of Robot Viking
Title to be determined (2017) by MR., 2017 iron, FRP, urethane paint, acrylic paint, and plywood base with MDF surface finish 51.18" x 19.69" x 17.72" / 130cm x 50cm x 45cm LM26036 © Mr. / Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Image courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York and Hong Kong
To be titled (2017) by MR., 17.72" x 14.88" (unframed) / 45 x 37.8 cm LM26064 © Mr. / Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Image courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York and Hong Kong
Title to be determined (2017) by MR., acrylic on canvas mounted on wood panel 55.98" x 47.24" x 1.97" / 142.2cm x 120cm x 5cm LM26046 © Mr. / Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Image courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York and Hong Kong
Title to be determined (2017) by MR., acrylic on canvas mounted on wood panel 68.9 x 98.43 x 1.97 inches 175 x 250 x 5 cm LM26044 © Mr. / Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Image courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York and Hong Kong
Title to be determined (2017) by MR., acrylic on canvas mounted on wood panel 63.78" x 51.18" x 1.97" / 162cm x 130cm x 5cm LM26045 © Mr. / Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Image courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York and Hong Kong
Clannad (クラナド Kuranado) is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key in which players assume the role of Tomoya Okazaki, a high school delinquent who meets many people in his last year at school, including five girls, and helps resolve their individual problems.
Image courtesy of Pintrest
MR. at the HYPEBEAST Art Basel Afterparty in Hong Kong
Image courtesy of HYPEBEAST & Renee Neoh
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