On Wednesday, February 27, 2019, "ART UP," a gallery space, will open on the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building within the Men's Creators section. To further explore the increasingly close relationship between fashion and art, the space will showcase a diverse range of artists through its unique curation.

For this momentous first installment, we welcomed paint artist baanai, known for his artwork for Comme des Garçons, and his exhibition "inaiinaibaanai" is being held until March 26th (Tuesday). How did his unique worldview come to be? We visited his studio in Kugenuma to ask about his journey so far and his thoughts on painting.

Event Information

baanai exhibition "inaiinaibaanai"

□February 27th (Wednesday) - March 26th (Tuesday)

□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 2nd Floor = Men's Creators

baanai

Born and raised in Kugenuma, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2015, she sent her portfolio to Rei Kawakubo of COMME des GARCONS, and her work was selected for the first time. In 2016, she was chosen for the brand's direct mail, clothing, and shopping bags, and for the 2018 Paris Collection (2019SS), and in 2019, she was the first artist to be featured on their direct mail. She has also provided artwork and collaborated with brands such as RVCA, audio technica, MINE DENIM, and CONVERSE SKATEBOARDING. In recent years, she has been conducting experimental art, exploring what would happen if she continuously painted "ARIGATOUGOZAIMASU" (thank you) every single day without taking a break.

Born and raised in Kugenuma, Shonan, a place considered the birthplace of Japanese surfing culture, he grew up surrounded by waves. He started bodyboarding seriously at age 12 and began riding shortboards at age 14. And whenever he was on land, he always had a pen in his hand. An endless canvas stretched out before him. He would lose track of time, engrossed in sketches that might look like scribbles to others.

My childhood dream was to live in Hawaii, surfing and painting. But as soon as I mentioned it, the adults strongly opposed it.

Even so, I still loved drawing.

A drawing by baanai from his childhood. The sequence of numbers was apparently inspired by a computer screen.

"In high school, I wanted to attend a local art studio to prepare for the art college entrance exam, so I went to my art teacher to ask for a letter of recommendation. My grades were so terrible that he told me to my face, 'I don't think you can make a living from painting.' In fact, my drawing grades at the studio were almost always the lowest. I just couldn't draw with the balance I was taught."

I failed my entrance exams, and along with a great sense of loss, I was overcome with apathy for a while. Even after graduating from high school, I didn't get a job, spending my days surfing while working part-time jobs. About 10 years later, I resumed painting, but I no longer desired recognition from others.




"Even though I wanted to let my brush move freely like I did as a child, I didn't know what to draw. I felt defeated because I lacked drawing skills, and that complex was just too big. So, without worrying about balance, I decided to just fill the canvas with my favorite words."

That was the method that led to his current work: filling the entire canvas with a single message or motif. Starting with "CREDERE," which means "to believe" in Italian, he continued to quietly pour out words he encountered through his own setbacks and hopes, as well as the sea and surfing, onto the canvas alone, including "WAVE IS THE HERO," "SURF HUMBLE," and "LIVE IN CONTEMPORARY."

However, after continuing that lifestyle for several years, he faced numerous hardships.

NEXT>A miracle happened because I believed in myself.