Little Stars of City Child (2006) by Aya Takano, Prints and Multiples, Lithograph

Overall Rating: 100/10 once again. I’m in love with it.

Little Stars of City Child is one of Takano's famous pieces, as its many copies have been sold off during auction alongside her other well-known pieces. At first glance, The medium may not seem like Lithography. One factor that supports this would be because there appears to be almost no trace of overlapping between different lines, which often happens when multiplying linework. To mask the linework, I assume that Takano uses prints and multiples to demonstrate a drawing-like piece with one layer while using many. As for personal connections to this piece, I feel that despite the lack of story from my end allows me to relate more to its atmosphere. The crowded city-scape in the background shows a sense of liveliness. In contrast, the main character is purposely taken away from the bustling scene, resulting in a melancholy atmosphere. Though I have reviewed pieces in the past that I find "lacking" in terms of story, The simplicity yet detailedness of this piece makes up for those factors by adding an emotional aspect without me having to figure out a story for myself. Overall, despite the lack of background in this piece, I enjoy it just as much as the Yoriyuki piece. The way that it has a melancholic and mysterious atmosphere creates not only familiarity with its audience, but through its medium, utilizes its simplicity to set the tone.

Candy Girl (2018) by Yoshitaka Amano, Automotive Paint and Acrylic on Aluminum Panel

Overall Rating: 9.5/10, you know how I feel about a lot of detail

The last aspect I would like to touch upon is the fact that I feel empowerment through this piece. It may not make sense to some, but being able to see artwork where a female character is used (and in this case, facing a monster) shows that, if you look into it, the focus and dominance is portrayed through "Candy Girl" herself, at least in my opinion. This is a really refreshing concept to see, as it does not forcefully or obviously show that the "Candy Girl" was meant to be a dominant figure in the first place. Love it!

In the Doughnut (2015) by Naoshi, Sand on Art Board 

Overall rating: 6.5/10 because sand

Sand?

Heck yeah, sand.

A pretty uncommon medium, especially when used like this. Despite its ability to appear gritty and ragged, Naoshi redefines the unpopular medium and creates minimalistic pieces with an intricate substance. Despite its stylish concept of doughnut people, this piece tells less of a story than it shows different emotions. That is my personal opinion, of course, as many could easily take from this piece a story of mentioned doughnut people.

As much as I love this artist, I can't seem to get an emotional grasp on their pieces as I do with others. That isn't to say that there is nothing to feel from it, however. I just think that the emotions I feel do not overwhelm me as much as I anticipate for it to when looking at it, and, in a way, it's underwhelming despite its potential as sand art.

Despite not being "wowed" over the concept or lack of story, I definitely do feel something. The overall feeling of loneliness and isolation does creep up on me, though. I mean, with a bunch of different doughnut people dancing around your head and you being the only one that stands out, who wouldn't? This piece feels like a party I was invited to that none of my friends turned up to, making me feel some type of party anxiety, and that's kind of a bland feeling rather than raw, in my opinion, because I've seen more than enough pieces with the same concept before.

Naoshi if you see this, I respect you a lot, but this piece was not it for me.

“Cat Wine Bar” (2012) by Pepe Shimada, Acrylic on Canvas

Overall Rating: 8/10 despite loving shimada’s other works...

Yet another one of these strange pieces shows up on my Pinterest feed as I search for more portfolio ideas and I end up feeling some type of way.

(Yes, I am an avid Pinterest user because it’s the only place I could find more art like this)

To start things off, I just wanted to put it out there that throughout my posts, I will repetitively mention how confused I am, as I only choose pieces that have me thinking. No, I will not review your Van Gogh or Monet.

Though underwhelming at first, this piece shows potential in ways that distinct technique is demonstrated through brush strokes and lighting. This is very impressive to see, as I find art that is created in such a laid-back style would be easy to ridicule. This piece, however, somehow becomes sophisticated through the confidence Shimada shows with his skill in painting with acrylic.

As for the emotional aspect that comes with different kinds of artwork, I chose to post it despite my rating because of how odd it is with respect to the apparent cheeky vibe it gives off. Sure, it may be irregular seeing cats drink at a bar. Still, the questions I have for Shimada revolve around his choices as to why he chose to portray cats at a bar, and not anything else. What makes cats the perfect subject to paint in this piece? What makes the setting beneficial to its story? And, what kind of mindset do you have to be in to paint something as odd as this? The questions are endless for Shimada, as I am caught yet again with a loss for words. As simple as it may seem, this piece does not make me laugh nor frown but makes me feel something I definitely have not felt before. To me, this piece creates a new height of confusion for me as I continue to look into its meaning and Shimada's other works. But for now, I guess I'll have to cope with feeling the slight discomfort that comes with my unanswered questions.

Yoru wa Utau (夜は歌う) (2016) by Ikegami Yoriyuki

Overall Rating: 100/10, one of my favourite pieces from this artist

The first time I saw this piece, I laughed.

There was just something about it that made me laugh and question the meaning of it when I first saw it. From the red cat to the rabbits playing instruments, there are many aspects of the piece that stood out to me. 

Though I am not usually a fan of very detailed traditional art, Ikegami Yoriyuki’s “Yoru wa Utau” (trans: “Singing at Night”) challenges my distaste by combining a heterogeneity of details and colour and creating a piece that lures me into the story behind it. The simplicity of style that coexists with the complexity of the entire piece creates harmony and creates a piece with detail that shows itself the more you look at it. Pieces that are overly detailed in style and detail intimidate me as it gives off a vibe that makes me feel some sort of obligation to find the piece’s “deeper meaning” hidden in said detail. Unfortunately, because all of the artist’s content is mainly in Japanese or Korean, it is hard to tell what the meaning of the piece is. I can, however, say that through my observations, Yoriyuki must be telling a story, since there are reoccurring characters that show up here and there on their online portfolio. The girl sitting on the red cat and playing the horn is definitely one, and though I don’t quite understand the meaning of the story, I somehow feel emotionally invested. I don’t know whether or not it’s because of how endearing yet whimsical I think it is, but everything seems just right the way it is, and there is not a single thing I dislike in this piece. 

From the colours to the overall balance, I find this piece striking. Like I had mentioned before, detailed pieces catch me off guard and intimidate me because of how complex it is. This piece, however, does not make me feel this way, but rather the opposite.

My personal connection to this piece is rather emotional in an odd way, yet I can’t seem to pinpoint it no matter what kind of feeling I try to associate with it. If I were to take a guess as to why I feel this way, I think that the odd pair of eyes looking right at me makes me feel a sense of comfort that is raw and understanding. A tough image to picture, but nonetheless fascinating. Despite my confusion, one thing I know for sure is the fact that the red cat stretched across the page makes an impression on me that I can’t seem to explain.