So Far, the second solo show by Two One, one of Melbourne’s leading artist will be officially launching tomorrow night at No Vacancy.

And seeing as collectors and fans alike gearing up for what will no doubt be another awesome collection, I shot a short interview at Two so as to catch up with the Japanese/Melbourne artists and get some information on what to expect.

People still talk about your debut show, The 1000 Can show, which was nearly 2 years ago, what have you been working in the time between.

Just after the 1000 can show I was invited to the No Vacancy gallery opening show and after that I was involved in even more group shows while working on few murals, installations and commission paintings.

I’ve also been working on performance project Lo2’s Fleet with Elf Tranzpoter. I did live paint, destroy, recreating, and sound performance. Painted some walls in Thailand as well with some locals.   It has been very busy.

How does “So Far” relate to the “1000 Can Show”?

I’m not sure how it’s relating, but I know I couldn’t do “So Far” if I didn’t do “1000 Can show”. The first show made me able to think bigger scale, and to think that it is possible to get better if you put mind in to it.

As you’ve said before allot of the inspiration for your work come from dreams, are there any particular dreams of images that are represented in your latest show?

Yes there are some pieces based on dream image, but lately I have been trying to change my painting process. I used to paint based more on story of the dream. now I’m more concentrating on capture moment, object, or feel that I felt in dream.

So like rusty metal piece next to moon or a dice which include numbers, sand timer, and Indian bull. These are harder things to explain in words

What projects do you have planned after this show?

Probably, I should not tell plans before they start to be formed clearly. So that I not became a liar.

Two and Meggs stop to check out the show during installation.

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Also tomorrow night, Freshly Baked Gallery has a launch about a block away at 1,000 pound. Well worth checking out. Click here for more info.

TwoOne’s second solo show will be launching on the 10th of September.
I’ll be bringing you an interview as well as previews from the show closer to the date.

Living from 1831 to 1889, Kyōsai witnessed a great transitional period in Japans history and along with many of the traditions that gave wave to European influences, Kyosai represents a fringe, as one of the last great traditional Japanese painters. Still his fine and macabre supernatural style remains incredibly modern. Enjoy.

Bake-Bake Gakkō, or “School for Spooks” August 1872

Enma, the King of Hell and a Courtesan


Ghost Paintings

From Tokyo Japan, artist designer Shohei Takasaki dope work is applied across projects ranging from his personal work to art direction for albums covers as well as Dark Funk Spot, a series of free magazines and alphabet remixes with minori-team mate Washiyo Tomoyuki as well as Love, a live painting project.

Shohei will be launching his latest collection, “splithead” at PLSMIS Gallery in Aoyama on September 12th. More details soon.

Nice will be on the case with shots of the show and artwork, until then check these shots from Shohie’s site.

Oono
“We live in city. We live in jungle. It’s time to be drinking.”

Red Hot Mumma
790 x 910 Ink on paper

DJ Baku Dharma Dance Album artwork

A Morning

For a laugh…  http://badpaintingsofbarackobama.com/

For me Kami and Sasu represent the heart of Tokyo’s street art scene, the originators from where the cities scene draws its inspiration, its love of geometry based design and its understanding of composition and interacting with the environment. Here is an excerpt from their website. www.hitotzuki.com

“HITOTZUKI’s art work are collaboration of KAMI and SASU.They met and began working together in 1999.Kami creates strong wavy lines, and Sasu paints colorful geometrical patterns. They also work individually as well. In 2000, they participated in Barnstomers project and started working on murals. Since the beginning of their collaboration they have named their work as “HITOTZUKI”. They have been working both internationally and in Japan. Together they live in Tokyo and have a one year old son. They continue to travel around creating huge size murals.

The name “HITOTZUKI”, stands for the sun and the moon, contrary to one another, like a plus sign and the minus sign, female and male, they differ yet still fuse together to make a whole. Their work is done dynamically and with freehand. Kami and Sasu, work depicts scenery from their lifestyle and feelings from their daily life while at the same time expressing hope for the future. They work as a family creating an ideal image of both their lifestyle and their future as “HITOTZUKI”.”

Hitozuki has also released a new T-shirt design which has just gone up on their online store.
Check it here, only $60AUS.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBGA7ARLzPA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

The world is now a little duller. Legendary super animator Yoshinori Kanada died yesterday of a heart attack. Kanada’s career included animation master pieces such as Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro as well as Final Fantasy and countless other classic series and movies.

Suitably, here’s a tribute AMV, sorry about the background music.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aEmATUt2SY[/youtube]

RIP.

I recently stumbled upon this guy’s website of Haikyou (ruins/relics) photography throughout Japan.

He goes by the pseudonym of Shibakouen Koutaro and photographs abandoned schools, amusement parks, apartment buildings , factories and the like.

All in all he has forcefully entered about 74 of these sites and has taken some amazing photos documenting the eerie decay and desolation of areas that were apparently once busy places.

http://home.f01.itscom.net/spiral/research.html

Currated by Japanese artist Osogruw, the Shinganist book and group show exhibits the modern ukiyo-e of Japans subculture.

Shinganist blog.

Mozyskey

Jun Kaneko

Usugrow
Toshikazu Nozaka
Mozyskey

Bene