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Fantasista Utamaro (born c. 1979, in Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan) is a Japanese artist, art director, illustrator, and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, New York. He is considered to be one of the leading artists working in the Japanese pop art movement, whose work explores the concepts of celebration, culture, freedom, and unlimited possibilities through a pop culture lens.

Utamaro's work is known for its distinctive ultra pop and vivid technicolor style that pushes the traditional boundaries of art, which is inspired by Japanese pop culture such as Anime and Manga, and also influenced by Western art, including the work of Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.

Biography

Early life and education

Fantasista Utamaro was born in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, in 1979. He grew up in a small town and was interested in art from a young age. He began drawing and painting at a young age, and he was also interested in anime and manga. Utamaro attended Tama Art University in Tokyo, where he studied textile design. He graduated in 2002.

Career

After graduating from college in 2007, Utamaro moved to New York City to pursue his art career. He began working as a freelance artist, creating illustrations for magazines, books, advertising campaigns, packaging designs, and website design. He also began exhibiting his work in galleries and museums around the city.

In addition to his work, Utamaro established Saizen OO with designer Mikio Sakabe and has also collaborated with other artists and brands, including Takashi Murakami, Mr., Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton, SK-II, Nike, Converse, GU, and Adidas. In 2021, Utamaro collaborate with Nexus Studios and Factory Fifteen to produce commercial video for the BBC's 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which receive the BAFTA Awards for Best Titles & Graphic Identity.

Exhibitions

Collections

Utamaro's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum in New York City; the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles; the Pompidou Center in Paris; the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo; and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Notable works

• R4U (Respect for Utamaro) (2023): An homage to the Edo period painter Utamaro Kitagawa, this work features a re-rendered Ukiyoe with eyes, cane, and arms from anime characters, emoji from the internet generation, and good luck cats in Yose-e style.
• Fantasista (2015): A series of paintings that depict a variety of characters, including animals, robots, and humans, in a dynamic and colorful world.
• Anime Eyes (2014): A series of sculptures that feature large, anime-style eyes.
• Pop Manga (2013): A series of paintings that depict characters from Japanese popular culture in a brightly colored and exaggerated style.

Videography

Awards and recognitions

He has also received numerous awards for his work, including the Pictoplasma NYC Film Festival, Silhouette Film Festival Paris, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity - Young Director Award and the 2022 British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Titles & Graphic Identity. He has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Vogue.

References

1. "Japanese artists evolve historical techniques". CNN. November 5, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
2. "Fantasista Utamaro". Greenpoint Open Studios 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
3. "Fantasista Utamaro". SHIFT. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
4. "Fantasista Utamaro". KOTOBUKISUN. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
5. "fantasista utamaro | Amazon Fashion Week TOKYO". Retrieved November 6, 2018.
6. "FANTASISTA UTAMARO – Collection – Official Zerone Watch Website". zlabwatch.com. Retrieved November 6, 2018.

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