In my opinion, one of the best ways to get to know someone is through the artists that they love the most. We tend to surround ourselves with art and culture that we resonate with; artistic preference can say a lot about a person, their values, their personality, and their experience. So, as a self-introduction, I want to share with you my favorite artists! These artists are all people that I have found through social media in the last few years, so yay, they are all currently active!!! One of my favorite things about following along with current artists’ work is that you get to see new creations and active ideas, not just an archive of past works. You can become an active part of their career, which is very special to think about. So with that being said, let’s get started!
Tomoko Nagai
Tomoko Nagai (長井朋子) is a Japanese contemporary artist that I discovered about 3 years ago through Pinterest. Her art is reminiscent of childhood and whimsy; I think that is one of the biggest reasons I am drawn to her. You will notice that all of these artists are abstract in nature. I really enjoy whimsical art. The color palette that Nagai uses is very calming, playful, and wondrous. I feel that the colors she uses are a large part of why her art feels so dreamlike; she contrasts vibrant and deep colors with very light colors, creating an almost fuzzy look (like a dream). For me, looking at one of Nagai’s paintings is like looking into a childhood memory; her art reminds me of being a little girl, and the art from books that would be read to me.
Nagai describes in the interview below that as a child she would create dolls and other crafts with the limited resources she had around her. Her creations were mostly based on the everyday surroundings in her life, and that has translated into her professional career; much of her work focuses on the mundane and simple areas of life, settings like homes and nature. Despite the mundane subjects that Nagai focuses on, her settings take on a whimsical air that brings them to life. In her own words, “The theme of my art is about the places I’ve never been but still know,” She also added that she paints what she sees in dreams, which is reflected in the style that her art takes on. Her dreamlike art is something I find a lot of joy and peace in. Simple joy and peace is reflected in her artworks.
Tomoko Nagai Interview
YENWORLD
Yen, otherwise known as “YENWORLD” is a Taiwanese tattoo artist and creator that I discovered about a year ago through Instagram. I instantly fell in love with his art style and brand. His art is abstract and colorful in nature, with colored tattoos and airbrushed shirts. In his designs, he incorporates a lot of distinct shapes, as well as little characters that bring an element of fun into the artwork. His tattoo style is incredibly distinctive; it is very whimsical and free in shape, colorful, and so creative. Along with tattooing, Yen created a second project called “Next Door World” where he explores and experiments with different art forms. Yen is constantly having new drops for shirt and jacket designs, as well as hats, charms, pins, and other wearable items. (Go buy some.) He also recently had an exhibition in Taipei, showcasing his designs on both his products and larger artworks.
I got the chance to ask Yen some questions about his career and how he started his artistic journey, which was so exciting for me, yay! So, here is some of the information that he gave me! Yen describes tattooing as a “way to make my art a part of people’s lives.” He started tattooing in 2019, during college, where his girlfriend encouraged him to start creating. Yen says, “I can truly say I wouldn’t be where I am without her.” 🥹🥲 Significant others and other important people in our lives can be so influential in our artistic journey, and that is so, so special! He also mentioned that he gets inspiration from Tyler, the Creator! Yen has been creating art for 6 years now, and I cannot wait to see what he does next!
Oh, and his girlfriend is an incredibly, incredibly talented nail artist??? I urge you to take a look at her page as well; her designs are so creative and so amazing. I hope to cover her in a future post, so stay tuned for that!
Syozo Taniguchi
Syozo Taniguchi (谷口正造) is a Japanese artist that I discovered about the same time as Tomoko Nagai; his style is similar to Nagai’s in the dreamlike quality that it exudes, with a similar contrasting palette of light and dark. A large difference between Nagai and Taniguchi’s work is the type of color they use, as well as the shapes they incorporate. In his art, Syozo plays with proportions and perspective, shifting the size and visual weight of the subjects. Taniguchi’s style reminds me of the style of Yoshitomo Nara; both are artists that play with the size of their subjects.
Taniguchi works in multiple mediums: painting, collage, and sculpture. His subjects are often the same characters and animals. Horses and dogs are a recurring subject of Taniguchi’s, putting them into all forms of his art. It is interesting to see the same subjects translated from one medium to another because it gives a different perspective on the work and gives the viewer the opportunity to experience it on a different scale. Out of all of these artists, I know the least about Taniguchi, but I am always learning more, and if I can update this with more information in the future, you bet I will!
Outro
So, if you’ve noticed, I tend to be quite influenced by the East Asian modern art scene, specifically abstract artists. These artists are a huge inspiration for my personal style. I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of their art and take inspiration from them. They each have so much art and beauty to bring to the world, and I am so glad I can share it with you! This is an unnecessary detail, but if you’d like to know, I have a Tomoko Nagai art book, a Syozo Taniguchi art book that I just bought (EEEEE), and I currently have… three shirts, one jacket, one hat, and five pins designed by Yenworld. So I would definitely consider myself a big fan of these people. If you liked any of these artists, I encourage you to take a closer look at their individual pages, especially Yen, because his art can be on your physical body! Whatttt? Woahhhhhh. I also mentioned that I found all of these artists through social media; one of the only benefits of social media I see currently is that you can be connected to art from anywhere in the world, which is pretty amazing. Now you know a little bit more about these wonderful people, and me too! Thank you for listening!
SYOZO TANIGUCHI
https://www.instagram.com/syozo_taniguchi/?hl=en
TOMOKO NAGAI
https://www.instagram.com/tomoko_nagai_official/?hl=en
YENWORLD
https://www.instagram.com/yenworld0.0/?hl=en
NEXTDOORWORLD
https://www.instagram.com/nextdoorworld6.6/
SHYN
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