Yoshiyasu Tamura
Yoshiyasu Tamura (1977, Gunma, Japan) is called a mangaka and honoured as a hero in his home country Japan. But this description alone does not do justice to his reputation. Besides being a cartoonist he is also a celebrated artist, illustrator and technical genius. Mexico City, Basel, Taipei, Los Angeles, New York and Florence cover a fraction of cities where his works have been exhibited and he has collaborated with no one less than fashion designer McQ Alexander McQueen. Now his latest works have found their way to Amsterdam. They will be on display in KYAS ART SALON from the 23rd of February till the 21st of April. Not only for fans of Japanese pop culture this is a must-see. Also for lovers of Western painting a visit could be more than worthwhile.
Tamura's style is best described as a point blank culture clash; a mix of traditional Japanese drawing, manga and western painting. East meets west. Women play the leading part in most of his works. These women are not depicted in a realistic fashion but are glorified through the ideals of manga culture in which eyes play a crucial part. On the other hand Tamura's works are clearly inspired by western renaissance; women are attributed godlyfeatures, just like in the world of manga. Also other styles from the renaissance can be found, like the use of gold plate. "When I was 15 years old I traveled abroad for the first time in my life. Especially in Italy I was struck by the beauty of religious works. They finally became the foundation for my later work.
Tamura aims for the decorative and extravagant, mainly by the use of rich colors and pigments. "My goal is to find a common between western and japanese painting, modern manga and animé. It is an art to rediscover and redisign these elements.
