Harumi Yamaguchi & YOSHIROTTEN Present Powerful Female Illustrations at NANZUKA 2G

Last year, celebrated Japanese artists Harumi Yamaguchi and YOSHIROTTEN launched a collaborative show featuring illustrations of airbrushed female figures. This time, NANZUKA will present both artists’ work at its new “2G” studio space. “HARUMI’S WINTER” focuses on winter-themed airbrush illustrations Yamaguchi painted for PARCO’s advertisements, with the entire art direction overseen by YOSHIROTTEN.

From the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, Yamaguchi began illustrating advertisements for PARCO, featuring women the artist called “Harumi Gals.” Her portrayals of women fell in line with PARCO’s strategy to depict female figures “living strongly within the times.” YOSHIROTTEN was chosen as the youngest director of Yamaguchi’s Harumi Gals, which culminated in the 2018 exhibition “HARUMI’S SUMMER.” “HARUMI’S WINTER” is essentially a sequel to this exhibition.

Through the interpretation of YOSHIROTTEN, Yamaguchi’s powerful, vibrant and elegantly refined illustrations continue to speak volumes today. Her portrayals of women are both sensual and intimate, like the depiction of a woman drinking a Coca-Cola bottle in lingerie, and empowering, captured in the painting of two women rollerblading.

Take a closer look at select works from “HARUMI’S WINTER” in the gallery above. The exhibition will be on show from January 25 to March 1.

Elsewhere in art, Paris Musées has released hi-res images of 321,178 historic works of art online.

“2G” Studio
Shibuya PARCO
15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, 2/F
Tokyo 150-8377, Japan