The Galeries

Graniph and Yuki Nakano Join Forces for Our Curvy Christmas

30.11.10

Yuki Nakano was born and raised in Japan and her illustration, design and photography work is still deeply ingrained in the traditions of Japanese culture, from craftwork to manga Japanese comic style drawings. She is also passionate about pattern, particularly in nature. Yuki’s works are intricate, energetic and charming, they are stylized cute, conventional yet modern in a way that is entirely unique, which made her the perfect artistic Curvy companion for Graniph @ the Galeries.

Three of Yuki’s works are currently hanging alongside Graniph’s artistic printed and patterned t-shirts, hoodies and jackets in the Galeries. We caught up with Yuki to find out more about what was involved in the creation of her art works for Curvy @ The Galeries.

We also asked Yuki to take us on a photographic journey around Brisbane, where she is currently living, for one day. Yuki’s photography serves as a foundation for her illustration and design works as well as being artistic expressions in their own right. The images below tell the story of one day and multiple other artworks waiting to be “exhaled,” as Yuki describes the process.

My triangle forest. I got obsessed with making triangles with origami one day. For future artwork.

How does your photography relate to your artwork?

To me photography is an act of absorption. When living life, my surroundings are absorbed, taken in my mind as inspirations. After accumulating lots of that, I exhale them out into an artwork. So photography is an easy, carefree exercise for me, documenting whatever things I find are beautiful, interesting, or referential. Actually drawing or creating things out onto a piece of paper is a very intense activity, it requires a lot of thought and focus. I am attracted to patterns and bright colours so I guess you can see the similarities in the photos and the artwork.

What have you chosen to photograph for us?

Today's my day off and I worked on some artwork, and walked around a bit and picked up some flowers off the streets, (weed or dead ones on the ground!) I think you can see the things I love.

Weeds and some flowers from an empty carpark that I picked up

What inspires you?

Everything in life. I am always aware and on the lookout for cool new things. I am also very inspired by other people's artwork, both historical and modern. It motivates me to improve.

More Flowers I picked up off the ground

Can you tell us about the Japanese elements on your art work?

I wanted to be a manga artist when I was eight, so I taught myself how to draw them. In manga, you first draw a draft with pencil, work over it in pen, erase the pencil, and then draw patterns, screen tones, or colours on top of them. That is the style I have always drawn and still continue to do. What I like about it is the sharp bold black lines; I like things to be defined. They are minimal, not necessarily realistic but a perception of things in your mind.

What elements of Australia do we see in your work?

The Japanese culture. When I think about what is unique about my existence here in Australia, it brings me back to the fact that I am Japanese and to draw inspirations from my heritage in this multicultural society seems appropriate. I have always loved Japanese culture, but my being here has put stronger influences of Japanese elements in my art such as manga, origami and all the pattern work. Also, the super pretty flowers all around. I grew up in Tokyo and I have never seen so many different kinds of colourful flowers just blossoming everywhere. It's just amazing!

A big branch of a tree in a backyard that fell down from the strong winds we have been having

Can you tell us about the works you submitted to Curvy @ the Galeries?

It is a four piece series of things I did to play as a child.

Origami is very dear to me, my mother taught me how to make a paper crane when I was three years old, and I have made thousands since then. It is the most widely known form of origami and I love how the shape of it in the end is very elegant.

The Kagee bunny is something my classmate taught me in fifth grade. Everyone was doing simple ones like butterflies and dogs, and she taught me this saying it's a secret and I couldn’t tell anyone how to do this. Now you can just google it.

Kamifusen comes in a flat plastic bag, and you blow air into it to make it a ball. It was usually really cheap and came as toys to candies. You can't hit it really hard since it's made out of paper, and it was willowy like a jellyfish.

Ayatori, is the fourth piece that already found a home before Curvy @ The Galeries unfortunately. It is about creating string figures by yourself or with others, and the sequence is never ending. I used to do it often with my siblings. You can watch a video of it in action here

All of them are made on a 30x30cm wood panel, with acrylics, ink, and origami. At first it was just the drawing, I didn't like it and it was sleeping in the cupboard for a year. Then I got my hands on some origami with lovely patterns, so I made triangles and pasted on them. The triangles are cut perfectly but they are placed irregularly, I like the handmade feel of it. On the sides of the panels are polka dot masking tapes, which only people who see the work in real life can see.

A charm from Ise Jingu Shrine and an artwork I'm working on the background.

You can see more of Yuki’s art and photography on her website and her artworks will be on sale and available from Graniph @ the Galeries until January 9th and whilst your in there check out these great Graniph gifts just waiting to be given!