ISETAN MEN'S net has launched a new series called "ART UP by International Creators." This series focuses on "fashion" and "art," two fields that have long been closely related, and will curate and introduce a variety of artists.

Following Hirotton, the second artist to be featured is Hideyuki Katsumata, who depicts yokai (Japanese supernatural beings) and religious motifs with a unique Japanese touch. He is a paint artist who has gained popularity overseas, including with his popular character "hanautah." This time, he designed the 15th-anniversary T-shirt and performed a live painting on the day, so we spoke with him at Amrita Shokudo in Kichijoji, with whom he has a close relationship.

Event Information

Hideyuki Katsumata Live Painting

□September 15th (Sat) 11:00-16:30

□Main building, 6th floor = Event hall / Wall in front of pillar C-5

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Hideyuki Katsumata

Born in Tokyo, raised in Osaka, Nagoya, Saitama, and other locations. He has exhibited his work and created murals in galleries and museums overseas, including in the United States, Brazil, Scotland, France, and Thailand. He has also provided artwork and videos for Cuz, a unit featuring Sam Dook of Little Dragon and The Go! Team. In 2017, he gave a lecture to an audience of 2,000 at "TRIMARCHI DG," South America's largest art festival, demonstrating his global reach.

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So, how did his career as an artist even begin? The answer he gave was quite unexpected. Apparently, the reason he aspired to become an artist was Tomoaki Okaba, the designer of "THE VIRIDI-ANNE," a brand that is also carried by ISETAN MEN'S .

"I originally worked in the fashion industry, but when I first met Mr. Okaba, I was struck by the difference in our awareness of clothing. I realized that I, who had been doing things somewhat haphazardly, 'I can't compete with this person' (laughs). From then on, I thought about what I could be more passionate about than other people, and I started painting. Mr. Okaba has been incredibly kind to me ever since, and for a while we would go out drinking almost every day. He's a graduate of Tokyo Zokei University, so he taught me about painting. Until about two years ago, I would show him every new piece I created."

He also designed the 15th-anniversary T-shirt for Amrita Shokudo in Kichijoji, a restaurant with which he has a close relationship, and even performed a live painting on the day of the interview .

He is primarily self-taught when it comes to drawing. He says he has never studied art academically at school or anything like that, but looking back, he had a taste for art from a young age that would lead to his later works. Alongside things that everyone is familiar with, like Gundam and Fujiko Fujio's works, he was also fond of Japanese paintings such as ukiyo-e and sumi-e.

"My calligraphy teacher in elementary school had art books by Sharaku (Toshusai) and Picasso. After class, she would show me all sorts of art books. Looking back, that might be the root of it all. Then, as I got older and entered junior high school, I started exploring all sorts of things."

On the other hand, where do monsters, the occult, and even religious and mystical motifs come from?

"Hanautah," a popular character drawn in Hideyuki Katsumata's unique Japanese style , features motifs of yokai (Japanese supernatural beings) and religious themes.

"Simply put, I've always loved shows like 'Ninja Hattori-kun' and 'Kaibutsu-kun' since I was little. I've also actually seen a ghost, probably a zashiki-warashi (laughs). Plus, I think life is more fun if you believe in those kinds of invisible beings. Like aliens, for example."

Furthermore, as he says, "I want to create works that would have attracted my younger self," and even though his works use eerie motifs, there is a positive and happy atmosphere about them. "I can't subtract anything. I think it's good to make things simple and cool with a design mindset, but if that's all there is to it, it becomes boring. Besides, unlike subtraction, you can add things infinitely, right? You can keep adding things forever (laughs)," he says with a joyful expression, his face truly resembling that of a pure young boy.

Hideyuki Katsumata's work is also available on his Instagram .

Furthermore, as an element that contributes to the purity, which could be described as boyishness, many of his works are based on erotic prints. "It's fun precisely because everything is considered taboo. Pranks aren't fun if there's no one to get angry at, right? And I think that nowadays, there are more and more things that are considered taboo in society, so it's rewarding."

NEXT> Towards the live painting at 'SOUL CAMP 2018 at ISETAN'