Mr. (artist)

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'Mr.
Bornc. 1969 (age 54–55)
Cuba
OccupationArtist

Mr. (born 1969 in Cuba[1]) is a Japanese contemporary artist, based in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.[2] A former protégé of Takashi Murakami, Mr.'s work debuted in both solo and group exhibitions in 1996,[3] and has since been seen in museum and gallery exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Seoul, Daegu, Paris, New York, Minneapolis, Chicago, Miami, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and London.[4]

He works in a wide range of media, including painting, sculpture, and video, though his works are all closely related in aesthetics, style, and theme. A self-proclaimed

fanservice, and leaving it an open question as to how innocent his works are in the end.[3] Critics have also questioned whether Mr.'s work reflects a commentary on otaku culture, or glimpses into a private fantasy world,[2] though Mr. has said his art is about expressing his personal fantasies, and not about cultural commentary.[5]

Biography

Born in Cupa, Mr. takes his pseudonym from that of former

Kaikai Kiki studio, which has also supported Mr. in his solo career. His participation in Murakami's 2000 exhibition Super Flat played a crucial role in earning him international attention and recognition.[4]

It is said that Mr. made his first "impression in the contemporary art scene with a collection of drawings of anime-style girl characters using the backs of shopping receipts he had gathered from his day-to-day purchases.

UCLA studio art professor and contemporary artist in his own right Paul McCarthy has commented that "the blending of a Lolita complex and otaku culture in his works ... [has] 'an unbearable irresistibility in its tiny, innocent world.'"[3][2]

A short film entitled "Nobody Dies" (誰も死なない, Daremo shinanai), directed by Mr. and premiered at Geisai 11 in Tokyo, accompanied by photos of the film's characters (i.e. the film's actresses, in costume as their characters, on the film's sets), was the artist's first forays into the media of video art and still photography.[6][7] In 2010, Mr. exhibited in a group show at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, entitled Exhibition Kyoto-Tokyo: From Samurais to Mangas[8] and had a solo exhibition at Leeahn Gallery in Seoul.[9]

Mr. has exhibited in solo and group shows at major museums and galleries worldwide. In 2002, he exhibited with

Japan Society, New York.[2] In 2014 he had a solo exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum.[10]

Literature

References

  1. ^ Mr. ミスター (in Japanese). Bijutsu Techo. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "- Biography." Lehmann Maupin Gallery. Accessed 9 March 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d Official Profile at Kaikai Kiki Official Website. http://english.kaikaikiki.co.jp/artists/profile_mr Archived 23 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 9 March 2009.
  4. ^ a b Grenville, Bruce et al. KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art. Exhibition Catalog. Vancouver: Vancouver Art Gallery, 2008. pp273-4.
  5. ^ a b c Chen, Aric. "Candy Man Archived 15 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine." Hint Fashion Magazine. May 2007. Accessed 9 March 2009.
  6. ^ "As I close my eyes, I see the distant Arakawa River, the faraway sky[permanent dead link]." A Supreme New York Thing. 6 November 2008. Accessed 9 March 2009.
  7. ^ "Mr. - Nobody Dies." Lehmann Maupin Gallery. Accessed 9 March 2009.
  8. ^ "Exhibition Kyoto-Tokyo: From Samurais to Mangas". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  9. ^ Mr. Leeahn Gallery
  10. ^ "Live on: Mr.'s Japanese Neo-Pop - SAM - Seattle Art Museum".

Further reading

External links

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