Classic Chiho Aoshima prints available: Mushroom Room & Sky

We have added a further two classic Chiho Aoshima prints to the website. Chiho Aoshima’s psychedelic fairytale masterpiece Mushroom Room is one her earlier works dating back to 2000, whilst the Chiho’s ethereal beauty Sky was published in 2006.

Chiho Aoshima Prints

Chiho Aoshima: Mushroom Room

Chiho Aoshima Mushroom Room

Chiho Aoshima: Sky

Chiho Aoshima Sky

Hush Geisher Print & Sticker Sets now available

We are delighted to be able to offer a very small number of Hush’s 2011 sold out print sets at Kumi Contemporary.

These beautiful limited edition box sets include 3 small prints – hand finished with acrylic, spray paint and tea on Somerset Velvet 300gsm – size approximately 23cm x 17cm.  All pieces are signed & dated by the artist. Each set also comes with 2 sticker sheets – 8 colour silkscreen.

Hush Prints

Hush Print: 3 Masked Prints & 2 Sticker Set

Hush Geisha Masked Print & Sticker SetHush Print: 3 UN-Masked Prints & 2 Sticker Set

Hush Geisha UN-Masked Print & Sticker Set

Photography: © Studio Hush 2011

Takashi Murakami: Profile

Takashi Murakami is unmistakably the Godfather of Japan’s contemporary art scene. Murakami’s Superflat direction lead the way for a new era in post-modern art in Japan and he is now widely regarded one of the most powerful art figures in the World – listed 14th in Art Review’s Power 100 in 2011.

Maurakami parallels his Suplerflat style to the flattening of Japan’s social culture, creating a fusion of high and low art – art available to the masses with little distinction between the two. Having worked with Andy Warhol, Takashi Murakami’s neo-pop art style has become infamous with the legacy that Warhol left behind.

Takashi Murakami Art

Acknowledged as one of the most hard working artists in the World, Takashi Murakami’s efforts are forever pushing the boundaries of Contemporary Japanese art. Its not hard to see why Murakami’s works have mass appeal – stunning and intricately painted, Takashi Murakami’s art provides a plethora of visual treats. Young boys and girls in Japan decorate their schoolbags and bedrooms with Murakami’s toys. Key-rings and plush toys carry the Kawaii appeal – daintily cute and innocent, they are available for pocket money at character shops across Tokyo. Nowadays you cannot venture too far without seeing aspiring fashionable females carrying one of Murakami’s most iconic works right beside them. Murakami’s design of the Louis Vuitton handbag created a modern design icon – the most successful ever collaboration between an artist and a fashion designer.

Takashi Murakami’s art works hold an even greater appeal. They symbolise an new era of Japan. A Japanese culture that held little identity after the second World War has been reinvented in a kaleidoscope of colourful flowers, masturbating cowboys and oversized golden Buddhas. Japan has embraced Takashi Murakami’s vision and it now has a new ambassador in the art world.

Takashi Murakami’s exhibitions have mesmerised audiences from all around the World. 2010 took Murakami to Europe producing two stunning shows in Italy and France. Murakami’s exhibition held in the Palace of Versailles represented his first major retrospective in France. 15 rooms filled with Takashi Murakami’s often controversial but gloriously beautiful collection of oversized sculptures, contrasting vividly with the Palace’s treasures to produced a spectacle which received worldwide critical acclaim. Takashi Murakami’s 2011 solo exhibition in London’s Gargosian Gallery provided an explosion of sexual energy and erroticism in true Murakami style. Dazzling audiences with life-size manga sculptures, an oversized golden penis sitting beside cute character cut-outs and surrounded by a vast collection of beautiful prints, Murakami is far from predicable.

Takashi Murakami prints are printed on vivid lithograph paper – marvelously colourful and unassumingly large in size. Murakami’s prints provide a window into the spectacular mind of an artist who will go down in history as one of the most foreword thinking and innovative to have graced the contemporary art world.

Takashi Murakami Prints

 

Takashi Murakami Planet 66

 

Takashi Murakami And Then And Then And Rust Red

 

Takashi Murakami And Then And Then And Rust Blue

Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Artist Profile

Japanese urban artist Aiko Nakagawa’s art first caught the world’s attention as part of seminal street art collective Faile.

Since taking the decision to leave Faile, Aiko has reinvented her self as Lady Aiko. Her work has also evolved into it’s own beast – more beautiful and personal than anybody would have imagined. Lady Aiko is now a world renowned street artist in her own right. One of very few female street artists in a largely male dominated art scene, Lady Aiko has never shy’d away from her art, plastering her images throughout cities around the world.

Aiko’s art has evolved gracefully over the years – as has her reputation. Her work is the embodiment of the power of femininity – themes of sexuality and pop culture are intertwined with the innocence of youth to create a work that is both visually striking and daintily intricate.

Lady Aiko’s name has become synonymous with the street art world and is fast becoming recognised as one of the most influential and forward thinking female artists in Japan.

Lady Aiko’s artwork not only adorns the walls of several cities around the world, it is also highly sought after in galleries – from London to New York and beyond. Recent exhibitions have included the ‘Unstoppable Waves’ exhibition in Amsterdam and more recently the ‘Nose Job’ exhibition in Long Island.

Lady Aiko’s prints and originals are masterful – infusing stencilling and brushwork to re-create the urban decay. Lady Aiko’s screenprints are signed, dated and numbered are often heavily hand-finished. Aiko’s canvas’s are masterpieces in their own right – each an original – they are an everlasting testament to Lady Aiko Nakagawa’s name.

Lady Aiko Nakagawa Prints & Originals

Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Time Changes Canvas (Medium)

Aiko Nakagawa Time Changes Canvas (Medium)  Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Time Changes Canvas (Large)

Aiko Nakagawa Time Changes Canvas (Large)

Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Time Changes Print

Aiko Nakagawa Time Changes Print

 Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Vandalismo

Aiko Nakagawa VandalismoLady Aiko Nakagawa: Crystal Clear 

Aiko Nakagawa Crystal Clear

Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Can’t Handle 

Aiko Nakagawa Can't Handle

Lady Aiko Nakagawa: Chaos Came

Aiko Nakagawa Chaos Came

Welcome to Kumi Contemporary

We’d like like to begin our very first post by welcoming you to Kumi Contemporary. Kumi has been our passion for the last few years and we are overjoyed to have finally launched the website.

Kumi Contemporary was conceived with the primary aim of sharing the beauty of Japanese Contemporary art with collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Kumi literally means ‘everlasting beauty‘ – a testament to the beautiful artwork and a remarkable culture.

Japanese post-modern art is thriving. Takashi Murakami’s Superflat movement has paved the way for a newer generation of young artists: Chiho Aoshima, Mr, Ai Yamaguchi. Japanese influences in the street art have helped shape a new art movement. Graffiti artists Aiko Nakagawa and Hush are two of the most recognisable names in the industry.

We’ll be updating the blog with our new artwork and also bringing you the latest Japanese Contemporary art news. You can subscribe to our RSS feed by clicking the RSS icon and sign-up to our newsletter using the link at the top.

We love hearing and talking about Japanese Art – so whether you’re a collector or an enthusiast, send us an email to say hello.


Kumi poscard

If you would like one of our postcards send us your name and address using the contact form on the website and we’ll send one straight out to you.  

With love,
Kumi